Sep-Oct 2021

Do Not Mow sign not allowed on Claremont Property

The Civic Landscape Committee has their landscapers mow the area at the base of the rock wall a few times each year. These landscapers occasionally mow native plants that are placed in the wetlands by Clean Water Services. I have asked Civic to not mow along the rock wall in the townhome area. Someone (not me) put stakes with red tape to mark the start of the townhome area.

When I told my sister about my effort to keep the landscapers from mowing the native plants she sent me a "Do Not Mow" sign which I added next to the stakes.

Near the end of August I was informed that the Do Not Mow sign that I had placed on Claremont property was illegal and had been removed. Even the stakes with red tape had been removed.

As far as I know Civic will continue to not mow the wetlands along the townhomes. This area was not mowed this year. The landscapers who do the mowing must use other landmarks such as our arborvitae in order to tell where to stop mowing.

I found my sign. It had been uprooted but not removed. The sign is now placed just outside the boundary of the Claremont property. This puts it just South of Jim and Anne Kepner's property. It now is on property owned by THPRD and maintained by Clean Water Services.

Water to the Wetlands

Over the last couple of years the beavers have build dams along Bronson Creek that have raised the summer water level and allowed water to flow into the pasture across from the townhomes. This has transformed the pasture into a wetland.

In August our neighbors with the weeping willow trees installed a "Beaver Deceiver" device to allow water to flow past a beaver dam. This lowered the water level in their private pond.

The beavers are not able to detect this device. As a result, the water level drops. The drop in the water level will keep summer water from flowing into the wetlands.

In September these neighbors installed a second device that allows water to flow into the wetlands. The three black lines in the photo mark the position of a dike or berm that keeps water out of the wetlands. Bronson Creek is at the top of this photo and the start of the wetlands is at the bottom.

In the upper left there is a circular wire fence. A plastic pipe starts below this fence and goes thru the berm to the circular wire fence in the lower right. This allows water to flow from Bronson Creek into the wetlands even when the water level is not high enough to go over the berm.

The fences keep wildlife from interfering with the openings of the plastic pipe.

Photo of the inlet.

Photo of the outlet.

Wetland Photos

Marsh Cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum) growing in the grass. The silvery leaves have woolly hairs. The flowers are tiny and look like buds or flowers that have died.

Recent beaver activity. The tree was gone.

Yellow Cress (Rorippa curvisiliqua) with a leafhopper on a seed pod. Leafhoppers have piercing-sucking mouthparts, enabling them to feed on plant sap. The plants are covered with water drops from morning dew.

Wall of Nodding Beggarticks (Bidens cernua) blocks my path. They were about 6 feet high. I was able to pass thru this hedge with some effort.

Seeds from Nodding Beggarticks. They cling to clothes like ticks.

Flowers of Nodding Beggarticks.

Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) - By the fall most flowers have gone to seed. I found this flower in the grass. Queen Anne's Lace was introduced from Europe but now is common along our roadsides. Notice the few dark flowers in the center. Carrots are domesticated from this plant.

Queen Anne's Lace -- As the flowers mature the petals fall off and the flower curls up to form a ball. The seeds mature.

Queen Anne's Lace -- After the seeds mature the flower opens to release the seeds.

Queen Anne's Lace -- Some of the seeds have been dispersed allowing us to see the structure of the flower. The main stem splits into many stems, each of which split a second time. The effect is similar to fireworks.

Queen Anne's Lace -- A closer look at the seeds.

Pacific Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) - In May and June the Ninebark has beautiful balls of five-petaled flowers. In October there are dark balls of seedpods. Some of the seeds are visible looking like miniature eggs..

Western Swordfern (Polystichum munitum) - Spores on the back sides of the fronds. Each leaflet of the Swordfern has a "thumb" making identification easy.

Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) - Introduced from Europe. Poisonous. In the same family as potatoes and tomatoes.

I will not attempt to identify the moss.

It is interesting to notice some of the different kinds of moss.

This moss grows as pincushions or pillows on our rock wall.

An enlargement shows the sporangia, cups filled with spores.

This moss is growing amongst golf-tee lichen. Notice the tall, thread-like sporangia.

This moss likes to travel.

Hardhack (Spiraea douglasii) - Buds. Almost all of the hardhack has flowered and gone to dull colored seeds. But this branch has got the seasons confused.

Hardhack (Spiraea douglasii) - Flowers. Another confused branch.

English plantain (Plantago lanceolata) - Seeds. A common weed.

Garder snake (Thamnophis ) - As it slithered away. Subject failed to pose.

Ocean-spray (Holodiscus discolor) - In June there are clusters of very small white flower.

Enlargement.

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) - This common agricultural crop was introduced from Europe. Each small flower is similar to a pea flower and clover is in the pea family.