Mike and I started the day of f at 8:00 am birding at Cabels Mill.  A Baltimore Oriole and some Flickers were the more interesting types of birds we encountered on this trip. After our brief hike around the meadow trail we headed over to the Walney Pond to prepare for our Pond Life program.  While scouting and planing my route I noticed a huge shadow just under the surface of the pond (towards the shallow end).  I expected to see a beaver but instead turned out to be a gigantic Carp which we now dubbed the Walney Pond Monster. Mike and I both agree it had to be close to three feet long. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get any closer to get a better shot with my cannon point and shoot camera. 

Carp are nothing more than giant minnows and are completey harmless (they don’t attack humans) but they can, at least some species, be detrimental to an aquatic ecosystem in particular to aquatic vegetation. 

Above a young Hickory tree along the meadow/woodland edge -one of our most abundant hardwoods at Walney

Golden Rod and Cardinal flower . A colorful combination we see this time year at Walney

Box Turtle under a snake board.  This completely caught me by surprise. I either expects a Water Snake or a Meadow Vole or nothing at all-But a Box Turtle? Another Box turtle was found completely submerged within the shore line of the pond.  It is the same turtle the other Naturalist have reported seeing in that location for the past week.