Rose Pogonia or Snake-mouth Orchid, Pogonia ophioglossoides (above, left and below) Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
The wonders of nature will forever inspire one’s curiosity and exploring the world of Bogs, Fens and Pocosins will add a whole new chapter of discovery for the aspiring naturalist and those who enjoy the passion of native plant and wildflower photography. Planet Earth is blessed with a vast variety of ecosystems and each offers diversity and intrigue.
I will begin my “imagery” with the Orchid Family, along with a short narrative outlining these fascinating ecosystems. My exploration of these delicate habitats will remain a “work in progress” and I have “by no means” completed my study nor the photography of all species of bog-related flora, so as the years progress, I will update this post as I go along… The underlined gold text will provide links to more information on a subject or location.
Throughout my years of photographing nature I’ve always had a special interest in our wetland habitats, along with the plants, birds and animals that call them home. Growing up in the south, I spent a lot of time exploring swamps and coastal marshes and have continued my adventures in the like-wise habitats of the Mid-Atlantic states and beyond, but mostly for the song birds and raptors that breed or winter in this region. Several years back I developed an interest in the glacial wetlands of the Appalachian chain as well as the bogs and fens of the coastal plains; primarily in search of, and to photograph the colorful wild orchids that inhabit these ecosystems.
are by far some of North America’s most unique wetlands and are distinguished by spongy peat deposits, highly acidic waters and a thick carpeted floor of sphagnum moss resulting in a wetland ecosystem with a very specialized and unique flora that can only grow in these conditions called acidophiles. Northern bogs are primarily associated with lower temperatures and shorter growing seasons along with abundant precipitation and high humidity allowing excessive moisture to accumulate and stand rather than from runoff, groundwater or streams.
The majority of bogs in the United States are found in the glaciated Northeast and Great Lakes regions. Northern bogs will often form in older glacial lakes, some with considerable amounts of open water surrounded by floating vegetation or the vegetation may have filled the lake completely, known as “terrestrialization”. The flora of the northern bog can consist of Cotton Grass, Cranberry, Blueberry, Pine, Labrador Tea, Tamarack, an assortment of wild orchids and a host of other native plant, shrub and tree species adaptable to the conditions.
Rose Pogonia Orchid, Pogonia ophioglossoides
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Bogs farther to the southeast are known as Pocosins, a word derived from the Algonquin Native American word for “swamp on a hill.” These consist of evergreen shrub bogs found on the coastal plains from Virginia to Florida, although most are common to North Carolina.
are found within broad, flat,
upland areas, far from large 
streams, and like northern
bogs are “ombrotrophic”, meaning rain provides most of their water, and like the bogs farther north, pocosins are found on waterlogged, nutrient poor and acidic soils.
The soil itself is a mixture of peat and sand containing substantial amounts of charcoal from periodic burnings. These natural fires occur because pocosins periodically become very dry in the spring or summer. The fires are ecologically important because they increase the diversity of shrub types in pocosins. The most common plants are evergreen trees that include the Loblolly Bay, Red Bay and Sweet Bay, along with evergreen shrubs such as the titi, fetterbush and Zenobia.
The endangered Venus Flytrap, Dionaea muscipula ,
is also found in the pocosin.
like bogs were formed when the glaciers retreated and became peat-forming wetlands that receive nutrients from sources other than precipitation; usually from small stream sources through drainage from surrounding mineral soils and from groundwater movement. Fens differ from bogs because they are less acidic and have higher nutrient levels. Fens can support a much more diverse plant and animal community. These ecosystems are often covered by grasses, sedges, rushes and wildflowers and take on a meadow appearance. Over time, peat may build up and separate the fen from its groundwater supply. When this happens, the fen receives fewer nutrients and may become a bog.
Grass Pink Orchid, Calopogon tuberosus, (above and above right) Valmont Bog Sanctuary, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Finally … Bogs, Fens and Pocosins are not the only habitats where you can experience “bog-specific” flora. Acidic small mountain streams, seeps and some fresh-water wetlands can play host to some of the plant species that are found in and around the above noted, and more pronounced bog ecosystems.
Grass Pink Orchid, Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands,
As I mentioned above, wild orchids are my passion and spurred my interest to pursue the world of wildflower photography. I will continue with a few other favorites of this family before exploring the other plant species related to bogs and bog-like ecosystems. There are so many orchids I have yet to see, more-less photograph, that I could spend a lifetime following my quest. Many are at distant locations, so my adventures will be many.
You may notice that I will not give the “exact” location of the orchids I find and photograph simply because so many fall victims to poaching which has become somewhat of a lucrative business for some of the thieves out there. However, I will make note of a few bogs that are well-known to the public and that are under scrupulous supervision by notable organizations. Otherwise I will just generalize as to state and county or geographical locations and it will be up to others to put in the time, effort and exploration to reap the rewards. Many will find that more gratifying anyway.
White Fringed Bog Orchid Platanthera blephariglottis New Jersey Pinelands
Besides the Rose Pogonia and the Grass Pink orchids pictured above and gracing my bog ecosystem narrative, two more of my favorites (Well, “they’re all my favorites”) include the White Fringed Bog orchid and the Yellow or Orange Fringed Bog orchid pictured directly above and below.
The White Fringed can be found within wet or peaty areas alongside a few of the roadways traversing the New Jersey Pine Barrens and are often overlooked by most travelers. The Yellow Fringed pictured here grows in a “Top Secret” spot shared by a friend, but can also be found in the Valmont Bog Sanctuary in Luzerne County Pennsylvania and many other locations.
Yellow or Orange Fringed Bog Orchid, Platanthera ciliaris, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Exploring the small “bog-like” ecosystems of the forests along the Appalachian front can offer amazing discoveries for those in search of fun and mysterious plant life. I have dedicated a much of my time over the past few years to the Michaux State Forest, close to home, and just west of the historic town of Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Michaux encompasses more than 85,500 acres, hosted by the three counties of Adams, Cumberland and Franklin, and borders the state of Maryland to the south. Michaux was named for the French botanist, Andre Michaux, who discovered and named many plants in the 18th century. Michaux is just a small part of Pennsylvania’s 2.2-million-acre state forest system which is one the largest certified forest systems in North America.
The Michaux State Forest is home to a variety of “wild orchids” occupying various habitats, but one of my favorites, and discovered by a friend and co-administrator of our “Strictly Wildflowers” Facebook page, Merry Stinson, is the Loesel’s Wide Lipped Orchid (Liparis loeselii). Merry, like myself, spends a great deal of time exploring the Michaux forest floor and wetlands for new and interesting wildflowers and plant-life. This was an exciting find for her and I missed the bloom but located the seed pods. I returned to the spot this summer to see and photograph the bloom of this species and found quite a few new plants in the immediate area.
Loesel’s Wide Lipped Orchid or Loselii’s Twayblade Orchid, Liparis loeselii,
(above and above left) Michaux State Forest, Adams County, Pennsylvania
Another “special” find for me within this forest, and the year before but in a distant spot, was the Little Club Spur Bog Orchid, or Small Wood Orchid (Platanthera clavellata) which coincidentally was discovered and named by the French botanist, Andre Michaux. I thought to myself, what an appropriate discovery in this forest bearing his name. This find was totally by accident while exploring a series of seeps looking for amphibians. I noticed a tiny blooming plant near the edge of one of the seeps then found more as I continued to explore. I located about a half
dozen scattered throughout the area.
Quite a few members of the orchid family blend neatly into their surroundings and can be difficult to notice at first glance and are very often overlooked. Then you add the tiny size of some and the chore becomes even more difficult. Many are of the “Plain Jane” variety, being less colorful and simple unlike other family members with their “showy” attitudes and attributes. Keeping a means of reference at hand, or nearby is almost a necessity. I keep printed guides in my vehicle always and digital references on my smart-phone. When I first spotted this little gem, I had no idea what it was. The leaf pattern was a tell-tale and a place to begin. With a few seconds of research, identification was a breeze. It’s always rewarding when you find something new.
Little Club Spur Bog Orchid, Platanthera clavellata, (above and above right)
Michaux State Forest, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Other Orchids around and near the Bog environment: There are a host of orchid species that can be found close to bogs, fens and the bog-like habitats throughout the country and the list is numerous.
Below, I thought I would include three I found in the Michaux State Forest as an example. From left to right below is the Cypripedium acaule, Moccasin flower or Pink Lady’s Slipper orchid … Platanthera orbiculate, Large Round-leaved orchid … and Spiranthes cernua L., Nodding ladies’ tresses orchid.
From left to right … Pink Lady’s Slipper Orchid, Cypripedium acaule …
Large Round-leaved Orchid, Platanthera orbiculate …
Nodding ladies’ tresses Orchid, Spiranthes cernua L.
Michaux State Forest, Pennsylvania
The Princess and the Gladiators
Purple Pitcher Plant flowers, Sarracenia purpurea
and the Rose Pogonia Orchid, Pogonia ophioglossoides
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Besides the Orchids, Carnivorous plants are by far my favorites of the bogs and other bog-like ecosystems. The “Meat Eaters” of the plant world are full of mystery and can spur one’s imagination. I recall the first time I saw North American Pitcher plants, (Sarracenia) I was totally fascinated by their existence and baffled by their appearance. After a bit of research, I found it amazing how the beautiful pitcher-shaped traps are actually intricate natural adaptations to capture and digest insects in order to uptake minerals otherwise lacking in soil.
Purple Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea
Spruce Flats Bog, Laurel Summit State Park
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
There are 8 distinct species of the North American Pitcher Plant, but literally hundreds of cultivars, variations, hybrids, and subspecies. The primary eight include, purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea), yellow trumpet plants (Sarracenia flava), sweet trumpets (Sarracenia rubra), pale trumpets (Sarracenia alata), white trumpets (Sarracenia leucophylla), mountain trumpets (Sarracenia oreophila), hooded pitcher plants (Sarracenia minor), and parrot pitcher plants (Sarracenia psittacina) …
Purple Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Unlike some of the other carnivorous plants that trap their prey by movement and closing in upon them, or using sticky substances to literally glue an unsuspecting insect to their grasp and dissolving them, the pitcher plant uses the passive “pit-fall” method as the insect simply falls into the trap and become lunch. The trapping mechanisms vary across the 8 species of Sarracenia, but all leverage the same passive means of catching prey.
Purple Pitcher Plant Flower, Sarracenia purpurea
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
The Sundews, (Drosera) are the “fly-papers” of the carnivorous plant world. It was neat to discover that during 1791 Erasmus Darwin, Charles Darwin’s grandfather, had decided that the dew on this plant was a means of protection from predators. He was quite wrong with his conclusion. Later that same year, William Bartram discovered quite the opposite, and decided that the dew was a means of attracting and purposefully capturing insects. Later observations from a German botanist, Dr. W. A. Roth concluded that the tentacles actually moved to increase surface area relative to an insect’s body. It was finally Charles Darwin himself to acknowledge the carnivorous nature of Drosera in his 1875 book Insectivorous Plants wherein he primarily studied Drosera rotundifolia. I will begin with a couple of photographs of the subject of Darwin’s study.
Round-leaf Sundew, Drosera rotundifolia
Valmont Bog
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Finding “tiny” Sundews is always fun, and one must be seriously looking for them to see them. Unless you find a large patch, the Round-leaf sundew is very hard to notice in its environment and can be well hidden from sight and obscured by the mosses and other growth. I had been photographing a Grass Pink orchid at the Valmont bog and incredibly by accident happened to notice the pair above. They were the only two in this spot, in fact the only two that I noticed at this bog, but realized there were most likely many others.
Round-leaf Sundew, Drosera rotundifolia
Michaux State Forest, Pennsylvania
If you look closely at the Round-leaf sundew above, you can see how the tentacles have moved to capture an ant. This was just one of a large patch I found along a small stream in the Michaux State Forest, here in Pennsylvania near my home, and ants seemed to be their primary food source as many had their remains still visible. Photographing this tiny plant is a real chore and a good exercise in MACRO photography, not to mention sometimes physically demanding on the old photographer kneeling in a cold mountain stream for an extended period of time to get the picture/s.
Thread-leaved Sundew, Drosera filiformis
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Two of the most prevalent and numerous sundews in the New Jersey Pineland bogs, and especially the Webb’s Mill Bog in Ocean County, are the Thread-leaved Sundew (Drosera filiformis) and Spatulate-leaved Sundew (Drosera intermedia). Both are considerably larger than the Round-leaf sundew and by far easier to spot among the other plant-life attempting to obscure their presence. The Thread-leaved (pictured above) is my favorite of the two, especially during its bloom, (pictured left) with it’s magenta or lavender rose like flower. The Thread-leaved Sundew can only be found as a “native” species in 9 eastern states and the Nova Scotia province of the Canada Maritime’s. Four states have given it special status with being listed as of special concern in Connecticut, rare in New York, historical in Rhode Island and endangered in Florida. The species farther south in North Carolina and Florida have been re-classified by some botanists as a separate sub-species known as Drosera tracyi.. Droseraceae (Sundew Family) is one of the largest genera of the carnivorous plants with at least over 194 known species including the Spatulate-leaved or Spoonleaf Sundew (Drosera intermedia) pictured below. I have “only begun” exploring and photographing this family of plants.
Spoonleaf Sundew, Drosera intermedia
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Another “standout” of the Sundew family is the Spoonleaf, or Spatulate-leaved Sundew pictured above and below, which is considerably more common than the Thread-leaved presented above. It can be found in over 30 states from the Midwest east and south to Texas, and 5 Canadian provinces. Another favorite on my visits to the Webb’s Mill Bog in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and Ocean County.
Spoonleaf or Spatulate-leaved Sundew, Drosera intermedia
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Horned bladderwort, Utricularia cornuta (above and right)
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
One of the most interesting, as well as the largest genus of carnivorous plants with more than 228 species and the most geographically widespread is the bladderwort /or Utricularia. Back in 1797, English botanist James Sowerby assumed the bladders on these aquatic plants were possibly a means of flotation and the number of bugs within the bladders were simply lodging there. There were numerous studies of bladderworts during the mid-1800’s, but not until the early 20th century did botanists assume the true carnivorous nature of this genus. It was during 1942 that the American botanist Francis Ernest Lloyd first described the luring, trapping, and digesting nature of these silent killers.
One of my favorites, as well as the safest and easiest places to get around to see and photograph the Horned bladderwort, is the Webb’s Mill Bog in Ocean County New Jersey and the Pine Barrens. The circular boardwalk through the bog allows ample access without disturbing its sensitive ecosystem. The plants are numerous and can create a sea of yellow on the bog floor. The Horned bladderwort differs from many of the other bladderworts in being terrestrial instead of aquatic, although it may occasionally become submerged. I’ve seen them in both the exposed muddy/sandy bottoms or in very shallow flooded spots within this bog and others in the Barrens.
The Humped bladderwort or Conespur bladderpod (Utricularia gibba L.) pictured below is another from the Webb’s Mill Bog, but is a bit less numerous as the Horned, and like the others of this genus, consumes its prey in the same manner. Again, there are so many members of this genus and I hope to observe and photograph many more in the future. This will be a “life-long” project.
Humped bladderwort, Utricularia gibba
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Bog Asphodel, Yellow Asphodel, Narthecium americanum
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
My special draw to the state of New Jersey and the bogs of the Pine Barrens began with a longing desire to see and photograph a beautiful, rare and endangered species of plant, the Bog Asphodel. Britannica’s definition of “Asphodel” is any of several flowering plants belonging to the family Asphodelaceae. It is a variously applied and thus much misunderstood common name. The asphodel of the poets is often a narcissus; that of the ancients is either of two genera, Asphodeline or Asphodelus, containing numerous species in the Mediterranean region.
The Bog or Yellow Asphodel, Narthecium americanum and its European relative, Narthecium ossifragum is not an asphodel, although it was once thought to be a miniature version of one, but rather a member of the Lily Family, Liliaceae. In the past, the Bog Asphodel could only be found in four eastern states that included New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina and North Carolina, but is now believed to be extirpated in all but one, New Jersey and its pine land bogs and is threatened there as well. It’s well worth a trip to the state and to visit it’s bogs to catch a glimpse of this lovely species before it disappears.
White beaksedge, Rhynchospora alba
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
A unique family of plants in and around the bog ecosystem are the Sedges or Cyperaceae, and they are numerous. The Webb’s Mill Bog alone includes such species as Bulbostylis capillaris (densetuft hairsedge), Carex exilis (coastal sedge), Carex striata (Walter’s sedge), Cyperus dentatus (toothed flatsedge), Dulichium arundinaceum (three-way sedge), Eleocharis tuberculosas (spikerush) , Rhynchospora fusca (brown beaksedge), Rhynchospora pallida (pale beaksedge) and the Rhynchospora alba (white beaksedge) pictured above and below, “just to name a few”… Then another from the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia is Eriophorum virginicum (Tawny cottongrass). I should mention that I am just beginning my study and photography of the Sedges so look forward to updates to this post in the future.
White beaksedge, Rhynchospora alba
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
White beaksedge, Rhynchospora alba is a common sedge of the open and acidic soils of peatlands, fens, bogs, and conifer swamps and often forms colonies. The whitish spike-lets of the flowers draw quite the attention. When flowering, Tawny Cottongrass, Eriophorum virginicum (pictured below) can bear a close resemblance, but is distinguished by longer and broader leaf-like bracts, the longest 4+ inches, and more strongly 3-sided stems especially the upper stem.
Tawny Cottongrass, Eriophorum virginicum
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
Littleleaf or Short-leaved Milkwort, Polygala brevifolia
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
The polygala genus of the Polygalaceae family is broad and I have my favorites of both the wetland associated plants as well as the ones from the drier environments such as the little “Gaywings” we find in the Michaux State Forest here close to home. The short-leaved milkwort, Polygala brevifolia (pictured above and below) is in the northern portion of its range in the New Jersey pinelands and bogs. It is like the Drum-heads milkwort, Polygala cruciata, but Polygala cruciata has larger and more compacted flower heads, with shorter flower stalks to almost sessile to first set of leaves. Another I have yet to photograph is Orange milkwort or Polygala lutea found at the Whites Bog in the nearby Lebanon State Forest. The Littleleaf or short-leaved milkwort below had been“kissed” by the morning dew…
Littleleaf or Short-leaved Milkwort, Polygala brevifolia
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Goldencrest, Lophiola aurea
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Another unique plant and inhabitant of the acidic wet soils of bogs and pineland swamps is the Goldencrest, Lophiola aurea, a member of the lily family, although the state of Alabama still list it as Nartheciaceae, or a member of the Bog Asphodel Family. Lophiola has been in the past classified as three distinct species, Lophiola americana within the New Jersey Pine Barrens and a small isolated population in Delaware, Lophiola septentrionalis in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and from the pocosins of North Carolina southward as Lophiola aurea. Today, most botanist consider this plant as one species, Lophiola aurea. Excluding Nova Scotia, the plants range includes New Jersey as it’s northern most point and then continuing south to Florida and slightly west to the state of Louisiana, excluding Maryland, Virginia and South Carolina. Goldencrest is quite plentiful and can easily be seen within the Webb’s Mill Bog in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Goldencrest, Lophiola aurea
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Lanceleaf rose gentian, Sabatia difformis
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
I find the Gentian family fascinating and the Lanceleaf rose gentian, Sabatia difformis (pictured above and below) is just one of about 20 of the Sabatia genus of rose gentians. It can be found in only 9 south-eastern and eastern states and is listed as endangered in some. These were photographed from the Webb’s Mill Bog boardwalk, but can be found in similar ecosystems throughout the New Jersey Pine Barrens and normally bloom from early July to late August. They were a pleasant treat for a late summer visit and the first time I had ever seen one. It pays to take the time for additional visits throughout the spring, summer and fall months.
Lanceleaf rose gentian, Sabatia difformis
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Narrowleaf gentian, Gentiana linearis
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
Two of the more common of the gentian family, the Narrowleaf gentian, Gentiana linearis (pictured above) and the Closed bottle gentian, Gentiana andrewsii (pictured below) were found and photographed at the Dolly Sods Wilderness in the state of West Virginia. Again. Late summer into fall is the time of the bloom. Both the Narrowleaf and Closed Bottle Gentians have flowers that never open and for pollination, insects must force their way in among the tips of the petals. The Closed Bottle Gentian is by far more prevalent in the sods. I’ll note more about Dolly Sods in my location discussion.
Closed bottle gentian, Gentiana andrewsii
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
Large cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
The Large cranberry or American cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon is a native fruit whose range extends in temperate climate zones from the East Coast to the Central U. S. and Canada and from Southern Canada in the north to the Appalachians in the south. The wild plants thrive in peaty boggy areas while cultivated cranberries are a major commercial crop in the states of Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec. Wisconsin is the largest producer of the cultivated cranberries with Massachusetts following in overall production.
The wild cranberries ripen in the fall, but can be a bit bitter to the human pallet. The ones pictured above and below were photographed in the Dolly Sods Wilderness in the state of West Virginia but can be found at most of the bogs I have visited throughout the Appalachian chain..
Large cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
There are literally thousands of bogs, fens and “bog-like” ecosystems throughout the eastern and Great Lakes region of the United States, along with the central and eastern provinces of Canada, so finding these habitats is an easy chore, however extreme caution and care must be used for their exploration. Many of the lesser-known spots favored by local botanists are kept as guarded secrets to protect their sensitive habitats from plant poachers and commercial growers as well as people who lack the knowledge on how to approach or navigate their delicate surroundings. The most important thing for the newand aspiring botanist or photographer is not to attempt to enter the bog itself, but enjoy its treasures from a safe distance with minimal disturbance. This is for your safety as well, as some bogs have been known to eat humans, literally! It’s entirely possible to sink up to your waste or chest through the mosses before getting a foot hold on anything solid. Then wondering out into the bog can also cause damage to ecosystem and you could easily step on and destroy threatened or endangered plant life. So, enjoy our bogs, their plant and animal life from “hard ground”, marked trails, boardwalks or the nearby road. I’ll go into the photography, equipment and techniques at the end of this post.
Based on my above advise, I am only going to mention a few well known bogs and habitats that are easily and safely accessible to the public for exploration and the one’s primarily located within the mid-Atlantic region. Most of the ones mentioned are closely monitored by local or national organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, State or National Forest/Park Services or private owners who allow access and perhaps a few of the lesser known habitats you can view from a distance. I will also provide some links to publications to assist in locating some of these areas.
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
One of my favorites, and a bog that has been a classroom for students of botany and naturalists for decades, the Webb’s Mill Bog (actually a “Fen”) lies within the Greenwood State Forest and Greenwood Wildlife Management Area (Ocean County) in southern NJ along County Road 539 about five miles south of the intersection of Routes 70 and 539, or about 6.5 miles north of the intersection of Routes 72 and 539, and just slightly south of the small bridge over the Webb’s Mill Branch of Cedar Creek. It literally sits out in the middle of nowhere and there are no signs designating its location. Parking is limited to the sides of Cr 539 and caution should be used when exiting or pulling back on to the road. Just look for the white sandy parking area to the east of the highway. The trail leading to the narrow and oval boardwalk is often overgrown and hard to distinguish at its beginning although once you enter it’s well used and easy to follow.
See Map Google has it marked as “Nature Trail Boardwalk”. Here is Another View of the trail entrance and as you can see, it’s narrow and overgrown…
The roughly 400-foot-long and oval boardwalk is narrow, but is well built with solid decking, railing and seems well maintained. It provides a safe and effortless way to enjoy all the flora present in the bog while keeping one’s feet dry and not sinking waist deep in the mucky and mossy bog floor of which I will repeat as being detrimental to any such habitat. On cloudy and humid summer evenings, it’s a wonderful place to hear and perhaps even see and photograph the reclusive Pine Barrens Tree Frog. Though the boardwalk is hardly ever crowded, weekdays are optimum and on many days, you can have it all to yourself. Webb’s Mill is a fantastic place to begin your New Jersey Pine Barrens adventure.
Rose Pogonia Orchids, Pogonia ophioglossoides
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
The plant list of the Webb’s Mill Bog is immense and incredible so, I will just list a few of my favorites here starting with the trees to include Acer rubrum (red maple), Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic white cedar), Juniperus virginiana (red cedar), Pinus rigida (pitch pine), Quercus marilandica (black jack oak), Rubus cuneifolius (sand dewberry) and Sassafras albidum (sassafras). Herbs include the elusive, and for me “yet to see” Arethusa bulbosa (arethusa or Dragon Mouthed Orchid), Eriocaulon compressum (flattened pipewort), Eupatorium pilosum (rough thoroughwort), Hypericum perforatum (common St. Johnswort), Hypochoeris radicata (cat’s ear), Leiophyllum buxifolium (sand myrtle), Nymphaea odorata (fragrant white water lily), Orontium aquaticum (goldenclub or neverwet), Plantago lanceolata (English plantain), Triadenum virginicum (marsh St. Johnswort), Utricularia fibrosa (fibrous bladderwort), Utricularia subulata (zig-zag bladderwort), Xerophyllum asphodeloides (turkey beard) and the host of other herbs, some pictured above, along with a substantial list of bog related shrubs, rushes, grasses, ferns and sedges.
Webb’s Mill Bog Boardwalk
Webb’s Mill Bog, New Jersey Pinelands
Spruce Flats Bog, Laurel Summit State Park
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Within the Forbes State Forest in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania, and the Spruce Flats Wildlife Management Area, the 28-acre Spruce Flats Bog is accessible by trail from the picnic area of the Laurel Summit State Park. The bog’s origin is obscure and past geologic activity which may or may not have included glaciation, left a depression on top of Laurel Ridge. The depression proceeded through natural succession from open water, to marsh or swamp, to bog, to meadow and finally to forest. During the early 20th century loggers discovered a forest of virgin Hemlock which they misnamed Spruce growing on the flats. The forest was then clear-cut which caused a rise in the water table. Then evapotranspiration from the tree leaves and devastating fires at about the same time burned away the upper layers of organic matter which comprised the forest floor above the water table. These events set back the natural succession clock, probably to the last swamp or early bog stage. Eventually, this succession may lead back to forest.
Purple Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea and White beaksedge, Rhynchospora alba
Spruce Flats Bog, Laurel Summit State Park
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Unlike the Webb’s Mill Bog above, and many of our northern bogs, the Spruce Flats Bog is not as diverse in aquatic plant life and during the 1950’s much of the population of the Purple Pitcher Plants were transplanted from other locations. The three primary bog plant species found here include the Pitcher Plants, Sundews and Cranberries along with grasses and sedges. The surrounding woodlands hold some orchid species. The trail from the picnic area is well maintained along with the short boardwalk over a part of the bog. Located in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, winters can be harsh, and access can be extremely limited.
Spruce Flats Bog Boardwalk, Laurel Summit State Park
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Dolly Sods Entrance, Forest Road 75
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
Nestled among the highest elevations of the Allegheny Plateau, and within the Monongahela National Forest of Wild Wonderful West Virginia, a lies a vast wilderness known as Dolly Sods. With elevations ranging from 2,600 feet to well over 4,000 feet above sea level, the climate and plant life resembles that of northern Canada. It’s a unique “island” of wild country surrounded by Appalachian hardwood forests. The terrain is rugged and can only be reached by sometimes narrow, steep, dusty and bumpy gravel roads. Communities of unusual plant life are a major draw to the Sods for many visitors and include sphagnum bogs, groves of wind-stunted, one-sided red spruce and twisted yellow birch, heath barrens, grassy sods, rhododendron and laurel thickets.
Heath barrens cover the highest areas where azaleas, mountain laurel, rhododendron, and blueberries hardly grow taller than chest high and can provide a breathtaking floral display from May through July, along with the Painted Trillium and Bleeding Hearts in the woodlands. Cranberries and the carnivorous sundews flourish in the bogs of floating sphagnum moss found in the shallow depressions. The above mentioned is just a tiny portion of the list of plant life found in the sods. Dolly Sods is one of my favorite places for birding as well with the beautiful Magnolia Warbler calling the Red Spruce and other confers home for their breeding season along with others.
Painted Trillium Trillium undulatum
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
Care should be taken when visiting Dolly Sods in the early spring or late fall as weather conditions can change rapidly and without warning.
There are several ways to get to Dolly Sods, depending on where you’re travelling from:
From Petersburg, WV: Follow State Route 42 north to Jordan Run Road. Turn left onto Jordan Run Road and proceed approximately five miles to Forest Road 75. Turn right and go four miles to the Dolly Sods Scenic Area.
Follow State Route 28 and 55 south to Jordan Run Road. Turn right and go one mile on Jordan Run Road to Forest Road 19. Turn left and follow Forest Road 19 six miles to the Dolly Sods Scenic Area.
From Canaan Valley, WV: Follow Route 32 south to the Laneville Road. Turn left and follow the Laneville Road ten miles to the Dolly Sods Scenic Area. Before reaching the Scenic Area, the road passes several trail-heads and the Dolly Sods Picnic Area.
Dolly Sods Landscape
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
The above is just the beginning of my exploration of our Bogs, Fens and bog-like ecosystems and I will be constantly adding to this post both with species and locations in the future, so if you subscribe to my blog and/or follow me on Facebook, I will keep you posted as to additions. I fully intend to do a post solely related to the Michaux State Forest here close to home in Pennsylvania in the future.
Again, I want to stress the delicate nature of these ecosystems and the extreme care that should be taken while exploring them. “I cannot stress this enough”. Always view them from a distance and/or at least “leave no footprints”.
Hooded Warbler male in song…
ou may be disappointed if you do a Google search for a “Warbler Road” in Pennsylvania as it “doesn’t exist”. However, you will find a listing for one in the State of Virginia which is actually a series of interconnecting forest roads traveling about 13 miles through the Appalachian Mountains beginning at Milepost 78.4 of the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Sunset Field overlook, then continuing to its end at the Arcadia Boat launch along the James River’ and all of these roads take on different and original names too. Like with Virginia, my Warbler Road, is just a “pet” name applied to a certain route or routes that traverse favorable and popular breeding habitats for a host of these small and often colorful songbirds.
Hooded Warbler female…
o without further delay, I will cut to the chase and “note” that “my” Warbler Road is actually Milesburn Road which can be accessed along PA 233, north of US30, and beginning just north of the Caledonia State Park and near the old dam breast of the reclaimed Chambersburg reservoir and travels approximately 7 miles north to its end and the junction with Shippensburg Road. Once past the popular Long Pine reservoir and junction with Birch Run Road, Milesburn becomes less traveled and more serene. Milesburn Road is gravel, but well maintained most of the year apart from winter periods with heavy snow.
irding and especially avian photography in our state forest system can be a challenge mostly due to the sheer volume of acreage and the dispersion of the different species throughout, unlike smaller and more condensed woodlands and parks where breeding habitat is limited isolating the birds. However, a little time researching the preferred habitat of your targeted species can bring success.
he subject of this post, the Hooded Warbler is no different from other members of the Parulidae family and has it’s favored habitat preferences to include the thick shrubby understory of our eastern forests. I have also discovered over the years that the Rhododendron thickets along small streams seem to be a favorite within the Michaux State Forest. “Warbler Road” (Milesburn) presents abundant opportunities for this habitat following a couple of small streams along its route in several areas bordered by the Rhododendron pictured in the image above.
inding the Hooded Warbler, or any warbler for that matter involves slow attentive walks or driving, constant listening and a lot of patience. Once you hear the song, visually locating the bird is another challenge. This warbler’s haunts are seemingly always under a heavy forest canopy, low light and within the thick of things, and they blend into their surroundings very well. The trick is to look for any movement within the foliage, even ever so slight, and to keep your visual scanning “low”. You will hardly find the Hooded frolicking or foraging more than 10 feet above the ground.
nother interesting thing with the Hooded Warbler, and like the Ovenbird, there really isn’t a perfect time of day to catch it in song. They seem to vocalize throughout the day, unlike most of the other warblers that tend to favor only the morning hours. I mentioned “driving” above which is one way I locate many of my avian subjects, by very slowly creeping along in my Jeep, all windows down and listening. I’m not sure is this is true or not, but ironically the sound of gravel under the tires while slowly moving seems to “trigger” a response from this species and perhaps even a few others. I know this is true with some of the rail species on the gravel roads of some of my favorite wildlife refuges in the south. True or not, I’ve located more birds with this method over time than taking long hikes in the woods.
hotographing warblers or any small bird under a “dark” forest canopy is not an easy chore and can at times be quite frustrating. It’s truly not a place for “sun worshiping” photographers who complain continuously about the slightest lack of perfect light. You won’t find a “Golden Hour” here either. But these conditions do provide a nice layer of “flat” light, void of any harsh shadows unless a ray of that nasty “sun-stuff” pops through a hole in the canopy which can wreak havoc on the camera’s metering for exposure.
arlier this Spring I attempted to capture a small bit of video of the Hooded in full High Definition and with sound of the warbler’s song. This was my first attempt at this and “somehow” I managed to accomplish a “down and dirty” version which I took into Adobe Premiere Pro, edited and mixed in a bit of eccentric and quirky music to accompany the warbles song. I must say it was fun! It’s filmed at 24 frames per second with a shutter-speed double the frame rate at 1/50sec. The ISO was 640 and was shot in C Log for a bit of a cinematic appearance. Captured with the Canon EOS 7D2 and the Sigma 150-600 Sports lens at 400 mm. Click on the Image below.. It will open a new and separate tab.
everal years back while photographing spring wildflowers and exploring one of my favorite mountain ecosystems along the Appalachian chain, West Virginia’s Dolly Sods, I kept hearing the song of the Magnolia warbler at just about all my stops along the gravel road that traverses the area through the stands of the wind-swept stunted Red Spruce to my amazement.. This was long before I did some research to discover their favored breeding habitat extended farther south than I had realized. I had seen many wearing their dull colors during the fall migration, even right near my home and the Hanover Watershed WMA along the Maryland and Pennsylvania state line.
hotographing a Magnolia warbler in breeding plumage had been a long-time quest and I thought I’d have to travel much farther north to accomplish it. I found quite a colony of them during that outing and luckily I had the gear along to capture a few images. I have since made quite a few trips to Dolly Sods fully dedicated to capturing images of this beautiful tiny bird.
he Dolly Sods Wilderness sits along the Allegheny Plateau and within the Monongahela National Forest with elevations ranging from 2,000 to well over 4,000 feet MSL and is monitored by the Potomac Ranger District. Access can be difficult at times, especially during foul weather and only by steep and sometimes rough gravel forest roads. Good trip planning with attention to the weather is a “must” during the early spring and late fall. It can be raining in the valley and snowing up in the Sods. The area is closed during the winter months to travel.
ronically, this warbler is seldom found in a Magnolia tree despite its name. Ornithologist Alexander Wilson, who had collected a specimen in 1810 from a Mississippi Magnolia, originally gave the bird the English name “Black-and-yellow Warbler” and “Magnolia” was used for the Latin species name, but “Magnolia” stuck as the English name as well from then on. The Magnolia is sometimes referred to as the “Spruce Warbler’ after its preferred nesting habitat which could have been a better name for the choosing, and like the Bay-breasted, Canada, Blackpoll, and Blackburnian Warblers, will take advantage of the periodic outbreaks of spruce budworms on its breeding grounds.
inding the Magnolia Warbler in the Dolly Sods Wilderness is not a difficult chore, even from along the narrow gravel road along the ridge top and where the majority of these images were captured. It’s a simple game of “stop often, get out and listen” among the Red Spruce stands, especially the more isolated ones. The most difficult part is spotting them within the thick needles of the spruce and they prefer to be close to the trunk of the tree. While in the open, their vivid color of yellow and black streaking on their breasts doesn’t help much on a bright sunny morning because the lower light angle can paint the needles a yellow glow helping to camouflage the birds at the same time, blending them right into the habitat.
owever, a nice bright overcast or obscured sky will add the touch of greenish-blue to the needles and make this warbler stand out. Another spoiler for locating this warbler can be the wind muting their song and the Sod’s can get quite a stiff fresh breeze on occasion simply due to the higher altitude above the nearby ranges. The trick is patience and keeping an eye peeled for movement within the needles, near the song and/or while foraging. Warblers hardly sit still for any extended period of time.
uring the fall migration and much closer to home, “only 5 minutes away”, the Hanover Watershed WMA has proven to be a productive location year after year for the Magnolia and many other warblers on their journey to the wintering grounds, and especially during “fall outs” due to inclement weather or unfavorable high winds. The tall pines offer protection and an abundant food source. The watershed is comprised of a Wildlife Management Area (MD) and adjoining tree farms belonging to the PH Glatfelter Pulp Wood company (PA). All of the property is posted, and any birding/photography can be done from the small and often less traveled gravel roads through the property. The watershed skirts the Mason-Dixon Line and sits in both the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania.
igrating Warblers, both during Spring and Fall, can be non-habitat specific until reaching their breeding or wintering grounds and can be found just about anywhere along their routes of travel resting and feeding. However, I have documented certain locations and “stops” they tend to favor and seem to be productive over the years for both photography and simple observation of a variety of species. I’ve begun to spend as much time with the binoculars as I do the camera in hand and find both equally rewarding.
This area had been a prior favorite of mine for the Indigo Bunting and the numerous sparrows present. I kept hearing multiple symphonies’ of a rapidly ascending sweet trill including a “check note” that I just couldn’t quite put my finger on. I was at that time, still very new to birding and especially new world warblers.
Traveling farther south via US Route 50 to Salisbury and then US Route 13 towards Virginia and the town of Princess Anne, the Deal Island Wildlife Management Area (
Birds and Blooms 