Cedar Sink, February Snow

On the north rim looking into the north sinkhole.

It's always fun to take a walk in the snow, especially in a landscape
like Cedar Sink in the southwest part of Mammoth Cave Park.
Map of Mammoth Cave Park

This is a short post showing you what Cedar Sink looks like 
covered in snow.  Before you look at this post, though, I think you
should see Cedar Sink in a different season just to see the contrast
in landscape; it's dramatic...just click the website, below.
Cedar Sink in July


From the parking lot it's a gradual descent through a deciduous
forest biome but mostly Red Cedar trees, 
thus the name Cedar Sink.  

Click here for Information about Red Cedars

At this time of the year you will notice the Beech trees
with their tan leaves, which are dead but remain on the trees until
Spring.  They're very conspicuous and add to the beauty 
of the Winter landscape.  

The trail to the sink

Is lined with red cedars;

Snow at Cedar Sink.

Information on Beech trees

Eventually you'll come to the west rim of Cedar Sink.

This is a gigantic sinkhole that is the result of the top of a cave
collapsing.  Imagine what happened at the Corvette plant,
swallowing up many cars and multiply that
times a thousand.  It's hard to imagine!

The view from the west-side stairs.

Looking toward the south rim.  This view gives you an idea of
how massive this sinkhole is.  During other seasons the view is
obscured by leaves.

It's a long cold drop

Into this huge collapsed cave;

Hold on to the rails!

The view from the floor of the sinkhole, looking north.

The platform overlooking the exposed segment of a subterranean
river...see the next photo.

Moving water --
An exposed underground stream;
Dropping again.

This is the part of the subterranean river that has been exposed
because of the roof of the cave collapsing.  Remember, where
you're standing used to be in a cave.  The water moves from the
top of the photo (the spring) to the bottom right, where it
goes back underground.  

Subterranean Rivers

Looking back at the west-side staircase.
You can see the NW rim of the sink in the background.

A view of the south rim of the sink.  You can see the south-side
overlook (wooden platform) at the top-right part of the photo.

Looking at the SE rim.

Looking south.

The NE section of the sink.

This used to be

The wall of a cave;

Now exposed!

I'm very conscious of the fact that giant boulders can fall
at any time!

Looking at the south rim of the sink.  You can see the wooden
overlook at the top of the photo.  From there you can look down
at the exposed subterranean river.

A view of the south-side staircase.

Looking at the SE rim (in the background) from the staircase.

The remaining photos are views from various rims 

of the sink looking into the sinkhole.

Looking south from the SE rim of the sink.

Looking at the east part of the sink.

A patch of green!  Moss and Walking Ferns.
Information on Walking Ferns

View from the east rim.

A Jelly Fungus reproducing, 
and lichen on the bottom of the stick.
Info on Lichens

The view from the east rim.

Some evergreen ferns (Asplenium species) surviving the cold.  That's Ebony Spleenwort at the bottom-right, but the top-middle one looks like a hybrid, maybe Kentucky Spleenwort...not sure.
Info on Ebony Spleenwort

More evergreen ferns and moss.  
This species is called Resurrection Fern  or 
Little Polypody  (Pleopeltis polypodioides).

A look at the underside of the frond assures the ID.  No other
species has a frond whose underside looks like this (speckles).  The penny shows you how small this fern species is! 
Information on this species

A view from the NE rim.

A fern called Purple Cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea)
 growing with moss in snow.
Information on Cliffbrakes

A view from the north rim.

The NW rim of the sink.  The west-side staircase is at the
top of the photo (hidden from view).

From here I got back on the trail and headed back to the car.

What a fantastic walk!  If you're at Mammoth Cave, stop here

and see what a karst landscape looks like!

Some of the most beautiful wildflowers are right here

 in April at Cedar Sink!  Click the site, below, to see them.

Cedar Sink's April Wildflowers!

Get out and explore your natural world...

during all seasons!!  It's essential!!!

Seven Islands State Birding Park

Seven Islands Birding Park as seen from the Upper Trail Inner Loop, 
just below Shumpert Pond.

Early February is a great time to get out 
and take a walk, especially if it's a place like 
the Seven Islands State Birding Park 
just east of Knoxville, TN.  

Click here for Information about the Park

We began our walk at the Bluebird Barn parking lot (see map,below).
 We walked up the Upland Trail Inner Loop (blue) to the Outer Loop 
trail (green),  connecting back with the Inner Loop trail. We, then
walked  by Wayne's Pond and followed the Seven Islands Loop
Trail back to the Bluebird Barn.

Trail map of the north half of the sanctuary.

Walking up the Upland Trail Inner Loop.

Anytime you go for a walk in TN you'll always see and hear 

these two closely related birds...Chickadees and Titmice.  They're
very vocal birds;  listen to their calls by clicking the website below
the photos.  We saw many, today.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information and calls of the Carolina Chickadee.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Info and calls of the Tufted Titmouse

This beautiful White Oak tree is growing at the top corner
of the Inner Loop trail.  Oaks are an important source of food for
many animals, providing acorns for them to eat throughout winter.

Walking toward the Outer Loop trail.

It was here that we saw a female Bluebird.  Click the website 
below the photo to read about Bluebirds and hear their calls.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information and calls of the Bluebird.

This is a male; the photo above this one is
of a not-so-blue female.

A sign describing the habitat.  There are signs like this one at 
many locations along the trails.

We took the Outer Loop.
Click the park map, below.

Park Map

Walking along the Upland Trail Outer Loop we could see
many praying mantis egg cases (ootheca) in the forbs to our left.

Click the photo to enlarge it and get a
better look at the egg cases.

If you see an egg case near your home 

take it in your house in April and watch what happens.

This is a great activity for your kids or students!

Click here to see what happens!

Continuing on the Outer Loop trail.

Observing one of the many Blue Jays.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.

Information on Blue Jays

You can see the French Broad River, below.  We will be 
walking along the river soon.

Heading toward the Inner Loop trail.

Looks like owl pellets, probably from a Great Horned Owl.

Click here to find out what owl pellets are!

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Info on Great Horned Owls

Walking by Shumpert Pond.   (see map)

Park Map

We've connected up with the Inner Loop trail,
heading toward the Seven Islands Loop trail (turn right).

Looking up toward the intersection of the Inner and Outer loops.

Kai hears, then sees a Cardinal.  The photo, below, shows a female

cardinal;  to see a male and hear their calls, just click the website.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Info and calls of the Northern Cardinal

The French Broad River is down below.

One of the many Bluebird boxes along the way.  
How to build a Bluebird Nestbox

Heading toward the river.

Toward the end of the Inner Loop Trail.

Through the woods to Wayne's Pond. 
Click the map, below, to see where we are at this point.

Park Map

A  Golden-crowned Kinglet!!

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information and calls of the Kinglet.

At the bottom of the hill turn right and 

head toward the pond.

Looking up from the bottom of the hill to where we were.

A fern called Purple Cliffbrake growing with the mosses 
on one of the boulders.
Click here for Info on Cliffbrakes

We're now on the Seven Islands Loop Trail, near Wayne's Pond.

We heard and then spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker in the trees
on the hill.  It does have a faint red patch on its belly, but its usually
hidden by other feathers.  These are very vocal birds.  You will
hear them every time your take a walk!  Listen to their

calls in the website below.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information and calls of the Red-belly

A place for local bats to sleep.
General Information on Bats

Taking a look at one of the small islands that's out
in the French Broad River.

We spotted some Great Blue Heron nests on the island.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information on Great Blue Herons

Wayne's Pond with Cattails and Spirogyra (algae).
Information on Cattails

Red-winged Blackbirds like to rest on the seed heads of cattails.
We saw a few redwings on the other side of the pond.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information and calls of Red-wings

Park Map

Photos taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information on Red-tailed Hawks

On the Seven Islands Loop Trail we spotted the seed heads of
a plant called Mullein (also, see photo, below).  You can see
how tall they are!

A close-up of the Mullein seed head with Mullein leaves
in the background.

There are two kinds of Kinglets, and they're both extremely tiny

 birds, only about 4 inches long!  We spotted a Golden-crowned

Kinglet a few times along our walk, and, then, Kai spotted 
a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, here on this trail!!!

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Information on Ruby-crowned Kinglets

If you turn right here you will be getting on the Seclusion Bend
trail.  We'll do that next time.  Today, we turned left and
continued on the Seven Islands Loop trail.

Park Map

You can see how tall these Sumac shrubs are.
Some books call them small trees.
Information on Sumacs

We saw many different kinds of Sparrows on this trail.  

An Eastern Towhee (black/red sparrow) was flying around 

the sumac shrubs.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Towhee Information
Listen to the sound of a towhee.

The red, backlit bark of a nearby tree.

A Cocklebur plant with its seeds, which
will stick to your clothes.
Information on Cockleburs

You can see the Cocklebur seeds
on Sara's clothes.

It was here where we heard thousands of frogs called

Spring Peepers.  Click the video, below, to hear them!

Information on Spring Peepers

We saw many Veronicas along the trail.
Each flower is only 5-10 mm across.
Info on Veronicas

The papery bark of a Birch tree.
Info on Birch trees

We're very close to the Bluebird Barn, where we began our walk.
There were Blackberry stalks all along this path.
Some great Information on Blackberries

You can tell how gigantic this Oak is by comparing it
to the bench at its base.
Information on White Oaks

I heard and then spotted a White-breasted Nuthatch as we walked

away.  I like the way this species walks down the tree trunk in 

search of food (insects, seeds, and nuts).  It will lodge an acorn

into the oak bark and then peck at it to hatch out the "meat" of 

the acorn.  Listen to their call.

Photo taken from the Cornell website, below.
Info on the White-breasted Nuthatch

The Bluebird Barn

The weather was perfect for a walk through a bird sanctuary!

Even if you're not a birder you need to visit this park and explore

its many habitats and just enjoy the outdoors!

To see what this park is like in May, click here.

Bring a friend or relative with you, or just enjoy the park

by yourself!  

Just get out and explore!