Cove Creek Photography RSS Feed: Blog

Smith Creek Update 03-15-13

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 11:03:22 -0700

The preserve is comming to life. Water levels are good with many of the main creek cascades and waterfalls putting on good shows.

With the amount of green on the forest floor it would appear the the wildflower exhibition will be pretty good this year. However, none of us can predict what Mother Nature has in store.

Below is a list of the current blooming wildflowers on the Preserve:

Harbingers of Spring

Sharped Lobed Hepatica

Toothwort - just beginning

Blood root - just beginning

White Trout Lillies - near peak

The next 30 days will be the best for wildflowers, but there will be wildflowerss through the end of May.

Smith Creek Update 3/31/12

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 19:51:55 -0700

The wildflowers continue to be about two weeks ahead of schedule. Below is a list of the current bloomers:

Ozark Spiderwort

Lousewort

Dwarf Iris

Jacobs Ladder

Wild Geranium

Pale Viloets

Yellow Violets

Large Belwort

False Rue Anemome

Golden Seal

Ohio Buckeye

Fire Pinks

Blue Phlox

Purple Trillium

Wild Ginger

Shared the Creek with a few of my comrades from Bank of the Ozarks, Sarah Oliver, and creek newbies Ed and Karen Love, and Amanda Julich. Way too hot for the last day of March.

Smith Creek Wildflowers, March 10, 2012

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:40:59 -0700

Ms Terri and I visited Smith Creek on Saturday to work on one of the trails and check on the start of the wildflower season. Beautiful day with blue bird sky and very comfortable temps. Water levels in the Creek were great with enough flow for excellent cascades and waterfalls. Below is a list of the wildflowers blooming now:

Harbinger of Spring

Toothwort

White Trout Lily

Yellow Trout Lily (just beginning)

Blue violets

Pale Coradalyis

Blood Root

Sharp Lobed Hepatica

It appears that the wildflower season is about a week to 10 days early this year for the early bloomers. Not sure what effect this will have on the rest of the season.

Smith Creek Fall Field Day - 2011

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:03:42 -0700

The Nature Conservancy is hosting a Field Day at Smith Creek on October 21, 2011. The hike will start at 10:00 am and will probably last until 2:00pm. Bring water and a sack lunch.

To register contact Brenda Luper at bluper@tnc.org or 479-973-9110.

Smith Creek April 22, 2011

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:24:56 -0700

The weather held off perfectly for the field day at Smith Creek. A great way to celebrate Earth Day and Good Friday. Smith Creek is one of the great cathedrals on our planet. We had about 15 folks for the hike from the bridge to the springs. The best part of the day was seeing two wildflowers that I had not been able to see before. The trumpet honeysuckle and the columbine. The creek had good flow with the falls and cascades putting on a good show for the visitors.

Below is a list of the wildflowers that were blooming:

Blue Phlox, Downy Phlox, Blue Violets, Yellow Violets, Pale Violets, Wild Hyacinth, Solomens Seal, Ohio Bucheye, Ozark Spiderworts, Columbine, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Wake Robin, Fire Pinks, Jacobs Ladder, Wild Geranium, Jack in the Pulpit, Dwarf Iris, and Virginia Waterleaf.

Smith Creek update April 2, 2011

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 18:37:49 -0700

Ms.Terri and I visited the Creek today to check on the wildflower show. The yellow trout lilys are near peak. The following are just beginning and should be excellent next weekend:

Blue Phlox

Dutchmen's Breeches

Large Belwort

Purple Trillium

The yellow and blue violets were showing well as well as toothworts.

The Nature Conservancy will be having a hike on April 22, 2011. You can sign up by emailing bluper@tnc.org or calling Brenda Luper at 479-973-9110.

A reminder for Nature In Focus - 2011 at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks on April 14, 2011 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. There will be 30 of my wildflower photos available for silent auction. Admission is free. There will be light food and refreshments. This is a fundraising and awareness event. All proceeds benefit The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas.

Smith Creek Wildflower 2011 update

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 21:32:29 -0700

Bob Shull and I visited the creek today to see where the wildflowers were in their bloom. Below is a list:

White Trout Lilys - Numerous mid morning but the blooms are small

Harbinger of Spring - Numerous in several areas

Toothwort - Few blooming, but lots of plants for later

Bloodroot - Just beginning to sprout and bloom in a few locations

Seems to be a good start for the wildflowers at the Creek

Smith Creek Field Day - 2011

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:26:17 -0700

The Nature Conservancy will host a Smith Creek Field Day, April 22, 2011 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The day will consist of a guided hike with me and Conservancy staff from the bridge to the Springs. The wildflowers should be in full glory and hopefully the water will be flowing in the Creek. Excellent photo opportunities and a good time to visit the creek. Bring a sack lunch and plenty of water.

To sign up for the Day RSVP to Brenda Luper at 479-973-9110 or bluper@tnc.org or you can email me and I will forward.

Also, feel free to email me with questions.

Nature in Focus - 2011

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:26:42 -0700

The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas is presenting the first annual Nature in Focus. This event will hopefully spotlight relatively unknown nature photographers in Arkansas. This years highlighted photographer will be yours truly. I have donated 30 wildflower photos for the silent auction. The event will also highlight the work that the Conservancy is doing in Northwest Arkansas.

Admission is free.

The event will be April 14, 2011 at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks in Fayetteville. It will be from 6:00 to 8:00pm.

Smith Creek Photo Field Day - April 10, 2010

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:52:52 -0700

Saturday, April 10, 2010 was the photography Field Day at Smith Creek. We had 25 plus participants and great weather. The creek had an adequate crop of wildflowers and a good flow of water above the sink holes for many varied photo subjects. Everyone seemed to enjoy the day and perhaps learned something fro the pros that were on hand.

Perhaps we can make photo days a regular activity on the creek. Let me know if this is something that is wanted.