EFFECTS OF A HOT DRY SUMMER

I hadn't been out to farm country since the end of June.  Even though the skies portended a coming storm, I headed out anyway.

I was surprised how verdant everything looked.

The contrast between the green crops and the sandy-colored stands of grain was striking.

I came across one of my favorite farm country scenes, fields of hay bales.  Skies were becoming more threatening as I drove.

 Then I came into an area where there were lots of ponds.  I was shocked at how dry they were and the lack of waterfowl in them.  Only a few geese were inhabiting this one, which was full of swimming critters last summer.

 

As I rounded the corner and pulled over to one of the largest ponds, I saw it too had low water levels and was choked with algae.  Last summer I had photographed a beautiful Great Blue Heron doing a balancing act across a fallen branch.

I ended my drive at Hency Marsh, which is typically lush with vegetation and water pathways.  What I found was more dryness and only a couple narrow streams of water on the edges.  It was stunning to see the effects the hot, dry summer was having on area waterfowl habitats.  I couldn't wait for the approaching storm to strike, and, hopefully, begin to replenish some of these natural environments.