You're right, the small growths next to the moss are fungi. Moss, being seedless nonvascular plants have no flowers (or true leaves or roots either!) and reproduce by spores carried by water droplets.
We're lucky to hear barred owls regularly here in NE Iowa. My kids and I occasionally have got them to answer our clumsy attempts at "who-cooks-for-you."
Beaten to it again! Agree with comment below those are likely a dug up nest of reptile eggs. I’ve seen many a turtle nest dug up by raccoons that looks like that. Always makes me a little sad.
Another wonderful column. Wow-you found the missing shredded Georgia 2020 ballots! Looks to be over 17,000 of them! I will see if I can get the contact info for John P???, retired state biologist who specializes in lichen, moss, etc. if you don't already know of him. He did a wonderful talk on lichen and a guided tour of the half mile lichen trail near Ames a few years ago. He's an avid kayaker who last year did a 70 km kayak trip in one day on the Mississippi to celebrate his 70th birthday; with age comes wisdom, so he paddled downstream. You'd enjoy knowing him.
You're right, the small growths next to the moss are fungi. Moss, being seedless nonvascular plants have no flowers (or true leaves or roots either!) and reproduce by spores carried by water droplets.
Hi Bob,
Those white objects are the remains of reptile eggs - probably painted turtle- probably eaten by a raccoon.
Thanks Pete! Your insights are most welcome!
Wow, very interesting sounds!🌿🐦
Vis-a-vis your prior frustration re: morels. "I myself would rather spray thistles than hunt mushrooms--I can find thistles."
We're lucky to hear barred owls regularly here in NE Iowa. My kids and I occasionally have got them to answer our clumsy attempts at "who-cooks-for-you."
I enjoy your Cedar Creek ramblings and writings!
Thanks, Larry. And I love your work at "Listening to the Land" https://lstone.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile
Beaten to it again! Agree with comment below those are likely a dug up nest of reptile eggs. I’ve seen many a turtle nest dug up by raccoons that looks like that. Always makes me a little sad.
Another wonderful column. Wow-you found the missing shredded Georgia 2020 ballots! Looks to be over 17,000 of them! I will see if I can get the contact info for John P???, retired state biologist who specializes in lichen, moss, etc. if you don't already know of him. He did a wonderful talk on lichen and a guided tour of the half mile lichen trail near Ames a few years ago. He's an avid kayaker who last year did a 70 km kayak trip in one day on the Mississippi to celebrate his 70th birthday; with age comes wisdom, so he paddled downstream. You'd enjoy knowing him.