Spiders and Spanish Moss and Butterfly Peas

Spanish Moss and Sunlight
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Ann-Marie and I went down to Poinsett State Park across the Wateree River in Sumter County. This is near where the Wateree and Congaree meet and you have the convergence of two great swamps. This used to be a common habitat for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and teams still comb the area every couple of years. Last sighting was in the 1950s. It's a unique area in that it combines lowland flora (Spanish Moss) with a hilly piedmont type environment. We hiked two trails, the Coquina Trail that goes around the lake and the Scout Trail that goes on a much broader path to a camping area about a mile in. Part of this is on the Palmetto Trail and it has campsites for backpackers. Our total hike was about 4.3 miles. The weather was hot, humid and in the nineties.

The main characteristic of this trail, besides the Moss and Sweetgums, was the abundance of spiders. They were mostly Spiny Orb Weavers but there were quite a few of the larger Garden Spiders (with the white writing in the web) and the even larger, rectangular backed Golden Silk Spiders. Webs were crossing the path every few feet on the Coquina Trail. Ann-Marie had to lead the way with her cane clearing a path. This was reminiscent of the 40 Acre Rock Trail we did last month. It was mostly Spiny Orb Weavers on that one. Wildflowers we found on this trail were Butterfly Peas (a lot), Elephant's Foot, Flowering Spurge, Yellow False Indigo, and what I think is a Wild Hydrangea (it's a Burley Cudge at present under review). On the Scout Trail we saw a lot more of the Butterfly Peas and some new ones like Tread-softly (Spurge Nettle) and Black-eyed Susans. We took a break at the lake after we finished the Coquina Trail. Ann-Marie did a thorough and enjoyable show-and-tell on her new knife - a Spyderco. Quite fitting for the day.

On the bird side we saw or heard Acadian Flycatchers, Carolina Wrens, Blue Jays, Red-eyed Vireos, White-eyed Vireos, Great Egret, Northern Mockingbird, Tufted Titmice, Wood Peewee, Great-crested Flycatchers and a Summer Tanager.

Ann-Marie and I hiked hard especially on the Scout Trail which wasn't impeded by arachnid activity (for the most part). It was a great day.

toadshade