Walking Through Summer: Logan County Glade on May Day

The West Glade found at this Nature Preserve

This is the day that ancient cultures celebrated as the first day

of Summer, May Day. To learn how the ancient peoples' view of the

seasons differs from our modern view click here.

I celebrated this day by taking a short walk through a glade ecosystem

in Russellville, KY.

"Logan County Glade State Nature Preserve...is one of the best

examples of a limestone slope glade community found in

Kentucky. Limestone glades are naturally open areas with scattered

ledges and slabs of limestone outcropping at or near the surface.

The soil is thin and the hot, dry conditions on the southfacing openings leave exposed trees

sparse and stunted. These seemingly adverse conditions offer a special refuge for many

prairie and glade plants."

(Quote taken from the KY State Nature Preserve Commission Brochure)

Click here for Information about this Glade

History of the area and a Trail Map

The entrance to the trail leading through the glade.

Trail leading to the glade.

The first conspicuous wildflower I saw
was this Fleabane species.

This is the beginning of the loop trail. I chose to go to the right
and will be finishing down the left side.

A beautiful Birdfoot's Violet.

The leaves look similar to a bird's foot.

Click any photo to enlarge it.

A bi-colored Birdfoot's Violet

This part of the trail used to be an
old road years ago.

Cinquefoil species

(If I misidentify a plant, please email me...see margin)

A very unusual fern called Engelmannii's Fern or
Limestone Adder's-tongue Fern.

There's the Adder's tongue...the sporophyll.

Wood Violets?

I saw many Ebony Spleenwort ferns.
These two are young ones;
you can tell by their fiddleheads.
Information on Ebony Spleenwort

Prickly Pear Cactus.
Most people don't realize that a species of cactus grows here
in KY. This will have an unbelievably beautiful flower in June!!
Click here to see a typical flower.

If you look at the map I have made a sharp left turn
and am now beginning the ascent up the hill.

Trail Map

Fragrant Sumac with young berries.

A fern called Cliffbrake.

Continuing the winding ascent.

Climbing to the top of the Knob.

Close to the top of the hill. I hear some beautiful bird songs.

It's beautiful up here.

I think I'm close to 800 feet, according to the map.

Many more deciduous trees up here. This is bird migration time
and I heard many. I heard and saw two warblers:
a Yellow Rump and a Palm Warbler.
For information on these birds click the website above the photos.

Info on Yellow-rumped Info on Palm Warbler

Photos of birds, above, were taken from the Cornell Ornithology website (above each photo).

A group of Mayapples.

The flower of this species is found at the fork of the leaf stalks.
The plants with just one leaf are sterile, with no flower.
Information on Mayapples

Click here to see an example of a flower close-up.