A Visit to Great Meadows NWR

Today's weather report was accurate:  cloudy, misty, chance of showers.  I had hoped to go up to Plum Island, but given the skies, decided to stay closer to home.   This turned out to be a good decision, as a woman's body was found on the beach there this morning.

My first stop was the Grist Mill in Sudbury:

Spotted Sandpiper

On to Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord:

Small-flowered False Foxglove (native)

This pink beauty was a real surprise.  I don't remember seeing it at Great Meadows before.  There were large swaths of it along the path.  So pretty!

Dock-Leaved Smartweed (native)

False Water-Pepper Smartweed (native) (unconfirmed ID)

American Lotus 

(native to North America, but introduced in New England)

Grasshopper

American Lotus closeup

American Lotus leaves

Don't you just love how the water catches on them?

Little Evening Primrose (native)
(unconfirmed)

The heart-shape of these petals caught my eye.

American Lotus

Blue Dasher

The other side of the river was beautifully decorated with dozens of Cardinal Flowers.

Cardinal Flower closeup (native)

Leopard Frog

The impoundments were both full of American Lotus.

A spider in his hiding place

Great Egret

Wood Duck (female)

Mugwort aka Common Wormwood (non-native)

Great Blue Heron

Showy Tick-Trefoil (native)