Kesling Wetland in Autumn

During the months of Autumn that I have been around Kesling Wetland, it has been interesting to experience the changes that I have noticed to the wetland since the Summer time. Some of the recent changes that I have noticed is that the water level of the wetland has decreased pretty dramatically since the Summer. Right now there is a dry piece of land where water doesn't cover it anymore. I don't know of that normal for the Kesling Wetland to experience the lack of water in the Autumn months or if the water decrease is due to the drier weather that has been happening this year. At some parts in the wetland, the geese and ducks can be seen walking or standing with just a little bit of water covering them. They use to only be able to swim in those parts of the wetland and they would have to get out on the grass area to walk or stand. The water level near the farm side of the wetland has decreased the most, or it's easy to see the change. The muck along that edge of the wetland is exposed with no water covering it. So it's very easy to see the animals that come to visit the wetland, all their tracks are painted across the mucky soil. The mucky soil also makes it very difficult to walk in wadders.... I almost fell a couple of times.

Poems about Kesling Wetland

i created a few poems about the Kesling Wetland. The first poem is about the wetland during the middle of the day and what I experience when I'm around it. The second poem is more of a story, but it's about the dragon flies that live around the wetland. And the third poem is more of a song about the frog calls that live around the wetland. Some of these poems probably would be better understood with me preforming them, which I can do if desired.

Noon time:

Mid-day

Sun Above

Pressing down

On the Waattteer

Making it glisten like the bright light above!

Dragonfly:

Alien

On Planet Earth

Birthing in the water

Transforming into

large mandible extender

With jets in it's bum

and then metamorphosing

into glittery wings

Frog Song:

Eeep!

Th-rum Th-rum

Croak Croak

Eeep!

Th-rum Th-rum

Croak Croak

Eeep!

Splash splash

Plunge plunge

Eeep!

Sunset at Kesling Wetland

Like sunrise, sunset is also a spectacular time to experience the Kesling Wetland. I think I prefer sunset more than sunrise for several reasons. One, I am already up to see sunset, to get up in time for sunrise is difficult! Two, the birds and frogs and insects are actively being noisy... it's like listening to the soundtrack of the wetland. Three, the colors that are displayed in each sunset are always a surprise, no sunset looks the same. Four, different set of lives comes out a night... like the muskrat that I saw the other day. I don't have many pictures of the sun setting over the wetland but the few I have are amazing.

Fiddler on the Roof Sunrise, Sunset:

(Men)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze

(Women)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears

Sunrise at Kesling Wetland

I have had a few opportunities to experience the Kesling Wetland at sunrise. In my opinion I think the wetland should be experienced at sunrise and sunset everyday because a whole new life wakes up and the colors and sight are absolutely gorgeous! The birds start to spread their cheer by chirping and leaving their nests to spread their wings. There is a Great Blue Herron that is often seen on the edge of the wetland by the farm side and when it is disturbed you will see it spread it's massive wings and fly to the other side of the wetland. Lately it has been a routine to see the Great Blue fly over the wetland as the sun rises.

Another reason to experience the wetland during sunrise is because since it has been getting colder there is often fog that hovers over the water. The fog adds another allusion to the scene that is being observed. Fog seems the help the wildlife in the morning in the sense that it is adding the layer to help them hide and be mysterious. Sometimes I don't even notice the wood and mallard ducks that swim in the wetland because the fog layer makes them seem hidden. The kill deer birds swoop in and out of the fog layer, projecting their cry.

Summer time at Kesling Wetland

Summer:

Kesling Wetland was full of water that later decreased in the coming months. In the summer there were many milkweed plants in full bloom, cattails, cottonwood trees, reed canary grass, abundant amounts of duckweed and water meal. Looking back at the photos of the Kesling Wetland during the summer months, it is surprising to notice how green and in full bloom all the plants displayed. Below are some pictures that present this statement. In July it was really humid and hot. There were a few rainy days, but not as many rainy days as hoped. In August it was defiantly drier than July and when entering September the vegetation was yellowing sooner than expected. In July and August the Canadian Geese took up residency on the lawn in the backyard of of Kesling house, so there was a lot of geese honking and poop down near the wetland. Summer is a a great time to explore the wetland, there's a lot of activity that happens in the heat.