It would be great if we could find a map somewhere of the trails at Alligator Lake Park. We’d only taken the three mile loop trail before. This last trip in mid March, however, we ventured onto some of the side trails off of the south side of the loop, which in turn have side trails of their own, becoming somewhat maze-like. It was our sense of direction, not the signs, that got us back to the car.

It was an earlier spring than last year. Rain lilies.

The butterfly book says that these American Ladies are familiar across most of North America, but this was our first sighting of one.

This is the same butterfly, with wings closed.

Viola’s form of the Little Wood Satyr

Mike said he knew there were bison here, but I wasn’t expecting to find these roaming around. I’d think during some times of year there wouldn’t be much dry land to graze on.

Some parts are deeper than others, and the water level changes drastically across the seasons. Much of the lake used to be drained and used as farmland. From the link above, “Several sinkholes are located in the north and south basins of the lake which provide direct connection to the aquifer. One of these sinkholes has been responsible for frequently draining the northern lake basin.”

There were, as usual, constant and varied bird song, and coots and more coots.

I have lots of shots of poorly lit or out of focus flitty birds, some of which we may be able to identify, but we never caught sight of the owners of most of the calls. Animals are more skittish here than in other parks we visit. The turtles almost all kerplunk back into the water before we see them. I had already walked by this rotting stump when Mike motioned me back to look at this snake. Possibly a brown water snake. I’m not sure what’s up with its clouded eye. (His picture)