“… the world can give you these glimpses as well as fairy tales can–the smell of rain, the dazzle of sun on white clapboard with the shadows of ferns and wash on the line, the wildness of a winter storm when in the house the flame of a candle doesn’t even flicker.”
― Frederick Buechner

Yes, I know, I have lot of photos from Secord Forest, but why not. This little slice of heaven has so much to offer. Photographing and learning about the plants and animals that inhabit this beautiful conservation area give me great pleasure. The 4.7km trail leads through meadows, rolling woodlands, wetlands (home to orchids), and farm fields, contains an incredibly diverse selection of plants, including many ferns, which I am just starting to recognize as being very different species.

The fern pictured above is the Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum) and is fairly easily distinguished from other native ferns by the thin dark stems and scalloped leaves. It’s also a paler shade of green than other local species. I can now identify 5 different varieties and working on more.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/160 sec, f/9.0, ISO 2500

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http://www.edlehming.com