A PRODUCTION OF: NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART GRANTS FROM: HELPING SUSTAIN NATURE SCENE FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

WHERE PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT ARE EQUAL IN IMPORTANCE PROVIDING ELECTRIC ENERGY.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU MEMBERS OF THE ETV ENDOWMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA ♪♪ ♪♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE.

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE AND WE ARE AT CRAB ORCHARD NATURAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.

USUALLY DURING THE WINTER 170,000 CANADA GEESE SPEND THE WINTER HERE BUT BY NOW IN MID-APRIL, THEY'VE ALREADY GONE.

RUDY, THE'S MORE OF A STORY HER THAN JUST THE CANADA GEESE, THOUGH LOTS OF WILDFLOWERS THIS TIME YEAR.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MESSAGES THAT WE WANT TO GET ACROSS CLEARLY TODAY.

WILDLIFE REFUGES ARE SPECIAL PLACES BUT NOT JUST FOR MIGRATORY WATERFOWL.

THERE ARE SOME MARVELOUS FLOWERS HERE.

THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING TURTLES HERE AND SNAKES HERE AND BUTTERFLIES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

GREAT DIVERSITY OF HABITATS HERE, TOO.

SO THERE'S LOT MORE TO SEE THAN JUST MIGRATORY BIRDS.

AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE MESSAGES TODAY THE OTHER ONE IS THAT GLACIERS HAVE BEEN HERE AND OF COURSE MODIFIED THE WORLD AND ONE PART OF THIS REFUGE; DIDN'T MODIFY IT IN ANOTHER PART THE REFUGE.

AND I THINK WE'LL BE A TO SEE THE DIFFERENCES.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF A GEOLOGICAL STORY, TOO.

SO HERE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF CRAB ORCHARD WE'RE LOOKING AN OPEN FIELD THAT WAS.

RIGHT.

FLATTENED BY THE GLACIERS.

WELL, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD VIEW FROM THIS OBSERVATION TOWER OF HOW GLACIERS SHAPE THE LAND AND FLATTEN BASICALLY EVERYTHING.

OF COURSE, THERE ARE LOTS OF IMPOUNDMENTS HERE FOR THOSE WATERFOWL THAT WE WERE MENTIONING A MOMENT AGO.

AND WE'RE RIGHT BY THE ROAD HE SO A LOT OF PEOPLE COME.

AND YOU CAN IMAGINE AGAIN THAT FIELD BEING COVERED, NOW, IN THE WINTER WITH CANADA GEESE.

WAY IN THE DISTANCE THERE I CAN SEE SOME DUCKS MOVING ON THE POND, FOR SURE.

IT HARD TO IDENTIFY FROM THIS DISTANCE BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF WATERFOWL, OF COURSE THAT ARE HERE YEAR-ROUND BUT THE LARGEST NUMBERS MIGRATE TO HERE IN THE WINTER.

OF COURSE, EVEN FROM THIS DISTANCE MAYBE A MIXTURE OF SHOVEL ERS AND MALLARDS-- YEAH, I THINK SO, MAINLY, UH-HUH.

AND THERE ARE SO CANADA GEESE THAT STAY HERE YEAR-ROUND BUT THERE ARE OTHER BIRDS TO SEE.

LOOK RIGHT OUT THERE, RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE FIELD-- IT LOOKS LIKE IT BEEN PLOWED-- YELLOW BREAST ON THAT EASTERN MEADOWLARK.

AND REALLY, YOU CAN SEE JUST HEAD UP, STAKING OUT A TERRITORY.

THEY'LL BE NESTING ON THE GROUND OUT IN THAT OPEN AREA.

PERFECT HABITAT FOR THE MEADOWLARK.

SURE, AND AGAIN, HOME FOR QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT ANIMALS ANA GREAT DIVERSITY OF PLAN THERE.

AND ONE OF THE THIS THAT HAS BEEN DONE HERE AND AT OTHER WILDLIFE REFUGES THERE ARE SOME PLANTINGS.

THESE SHRUBS IN FRONT OF US ARE NOT NATIVE TO THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

RUSSIAN OLIVE IS ONE THE COMMON NAMES FOR THEM BUT YOU SEE THE FLOWERS ON THEM.

THEY'RE VERY FRAGRANT THIS TIME OF YEAR SO LOTS OF BUTTE FLIES WOULD BE COMING HERE AS THE DAY WARMS UP A LITTLE BIT.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE PLANTS THAT SOMETIMES GETS AWAY FROM US.

BUT THEY PRODUCE FRUIT THAT'S ALSO USED BY A NUMBER OF BIRD SPICES HERE.

LOTS TO SEE TODAY I THINK IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO REMIND OURSELVES, JIM-- AND WE DON'T GET TO DO THIS A LOT-- THAT WILDLIFE REFUGES AREN'T JUST FOR WILD ANIMALS, EITHER.

THEY'RE FOR PEOPLE.

THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE TO GET AWAY FROM WHAT MAN IS DOING; SEE WHAT NATURE IS ALL ABOUT.

AND SOMETIMES I THINK THAT'S ALMOST THERAPEUTIC.

GOOD STORY.

YEAH, THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME FUN TODAY.

LET'S HEAD OFF IN THIS DIRECTION.

♪ BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY ON THE REFUGE.

OH, YEAH.

AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT THINGS TO OK AT.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE FLOWERS AND... WELL, THERE 'S A GREAT DEAL OF HABITAT DIVERSITY HERE.

THE GLACIERS DIDN'T REALLY GET DOWN QUITE THIS FAR JIM SO WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE OF A RUGGED TERRAIN.

MOIST, SLOPING HILLSIDES WITH LOTS RICH SOILS.

AND IN THE SPRING TIME, LIFE EXPLODES.

MAY APPLES, RIGHT?

MAY APPLES.

ISN'T THAT AN AMAZING PLANT.

THE STEM REALLY BEING UNDERGROUND AND THEN THOSE UMBRELLA-LIKE LEAVES COMING UP.

AND MANY OF THOSE LEAVES, NOW OF COURSE, ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME PLANT.

THE STEM, SEE, WOULD BE UNDERGROUND.

IF WE LOOKED CLOSELY WE COULD FOLLOW THAT.

ME OF THEM, YOU SEE, HAVE JUST ONE LITTLE UMBRELLA.

SOME HAVE A PAIR THAT ATTACH AT THE BASE AND UNDERNEATH THE DOUBLES, OF COURSE,RE THE FLOWERS.

AND I SEE FLOWERS ON IS TIME OF YEAR.

NOT VERY FRAGRANT.

BUMBLEBEES COME TO THEM LOT HERE EARLY IN THE SPRING A DOMINANT IN THIS FOREST.

YEAH, ALL OVER THE MOIST, SLOPING HILLSIDES.

NOW, SEE SOMETHING DOWN HERE THAT'S TYPICAL OF SPRING, TOO-- JUST PERCHED IN POSITION.

LOOK AT THE LITTLE DRAGONFLY RIGHT THERE.

OH, YES.

TETRAGONEURIA IS THE GENUS NAME BUT I THINK THE BASKET TAILED DRAGONFLIES IS ONE OF THE COMMON NAME FOR THEM.

LITTLE FUZZY ON THE THORAX THOSE GIANT EYES, OF COURSE AND THAT SPECIES, U SEE IN THE SPRING OF THE YEAR.

AND THEY'RE USUALLY PERCHED... SEE THAT FUNNY ANGLE?

THEY'RE NOT FLAT AGAINST THE GROUND.

THEY'RE ALWAYS AT AN ANGLE ON A BRANCH STICKING UP ABOVE THE GROUND.

MORE BROODS DURING THE SUMMER OR IS THIS FIRST AND ONLY BROOD?

WELL, BASICALLY, THAT'S A SPRING-FLYING DRAGONFLY.

IT DOESN'T LAST VERY LONG INTO SUMMER.

OF COURSE,JUST WARMING UP ON THIS MARVELOUS DAY.

THIS IS, REALLY, I GUESS U WOULD CALL AN OAK-HICKORY CLIMAX FOREST.

ONE OF THE TREES HERE FRONT OF US HERE, REALLY, RIGHT IN WITH THE ROUGH BARK-- LOOK AT THE BUDS EXPLODING ON THIS-- AND THAT'S ONE OF THE HICKORIES.

AND THEN THE OAK TREES WELL, THEY'RE ALL AROUND US.

I SAW ONE DOWN THERE WITH... YOU CAN SEE THE LOBES, THE SMOOTH LOBES ON THE LEAF THERE.

THAT'S WHITE OAK.

AND THAT'S THE STATE TREE OF ILLINOIS.

ANOTHER TREE HERE THAT I SEES WINGED ELM.

AND THEY HAVE LITTLE WING-LIKE PROJECTIONS ON THE BRANCHES.

AT FIRST GLANCE, IT LOOKS LIKE A DISEASE IF YOU LOOK IT.

YEAH, YEAH, NOW LOOK CLOSELY.

MM-HMM.

THERE ARE SOME WINGS THERE THAT AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.

THOSE AR KATYDID EGGS LAID.

LOOK AT THAT, ON THAT BRANCH.

SEE THE WAY THEY'RE JUST LIKE E-- SO OF LIKE SHINGLES ON A ROOF ONE LITTLE A BUTTING THE NEXT ONE.

SOME HAVE HATCHED OUT, SOME HAVEN'T.

YEAH, YEAH LOOKS LIKE IT.

BOY, THOSE ARE HARD TO SEE.

BUT AGAIN, WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN AND LOOK THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF INTERESTING THINGS HERE.

AND THEN THE PLANTS DOWN THERE THAT LOOK LIKE-- PERFECT NAME FOR THESE FLOWERS-- LOOK AT THOSE GORGEOUS SHOOTING STARS ISN'T THAT MAGNIFICENT?

MM-HMM.

CLUSTERS OF EM YOU SEE HANGING DOWN AND THE MALE PARTS OF THE FLOWER SORT OF GROWN TOGETHER TO FORM AT NOSE ON THE SHOOTING STAR AND THEN OF COURSE, THE PETALS BEING THE TAIL.

SO MANY WILDFLOWERS HERE.

THIS ONE'S NOT TERRIBLY SHOWY.

SEE THE LITTLE WHITE PUFFY THING ON THE GROUND?

THAT'S BLOSSOM?

YEAH.

PUSSY TOES IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LITTLE BIT LIKE FUZZY CAT PAWS.

I SEE A LITTLE MOVEMENT RIGHT HERE ON THE SIDE OF THE HICKORY.

A LIZARD!

YEAH, I GOT IT!

ONE OF THE...

I THINK IT'S ONE.

YEAH, ONE OF THE FENCE LIZARDS.

TEXTURE AND COLOR IS SO PERFECT FOR CAMOUFLAGING AGAINST THE TREE.

YEAH, IT'S REALLY HARD UNLESS THEY MOVE JUST A LITTLE BIT TO SEE IT.

REALLY, THE BACK OF THE BODY LOOK AT THIS THING, REALLY SCALY.

I MEAN, CLEARLY ONE OF THE REPTILES.

OVERLAPPING SCALES.

NORTHERN FENCE LIZARD, I BELIE WOULD BE PROBABLY THE SPECIES HERE, SUB-SPECIES.

AND THEN IT IS A MALE FOR SURE BECAUSE... LET ME SEE IF I CAN EASE THIS OVER HERE.

YEAH, HE'S SO QUIET.

MM-HMM BLUE ALL OVER THE ABDOMEN DOWN BOTH SIDES AND THEN ALSO BLUE-BLACK UNDER THE THROAT THE FEMALE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT COLORATION.

WOULD NOT HAVE THAT BRILLIANT COLORATION.

AND THE MALE SHOWS THAT TO HER WHEN HE'S COURTING HER.

AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE BREADING THERE NICELY.

LOOK AT THE CLAWS ON THE LEGS.

VERY OBVIOUS HERE.

AND, OF COURSE, THE ARE PERFECTLY DESIGNED TO GRIP THE BARK ON THE TREE.

SO FENCE LIZARD, OR SOMETIMES THEY'RE CALLED PINE LIZARDS.

BUT NOT A LOT OF PINES HERE.

THEY RUN UP HARDWOODS AND PINES AS WELL.

AND NOT TOO MANY FENCE LIZARDS FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

MAYBE NOT A TERRIBLY COMMON ANIMAL HERE BUT GENERALLY COMMON THROUGHOUT EASTERN UNITED STATES.

REPTILES ARE SO OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD.

LET'S PUT HIM BACK.

HE'S NOT HURTING ANYONE.

OF COURSE, THIS IS A NON-POISONOUS ANIMAL.

I'LL JUST PUT HIM RIGHT UP AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE TREE.

HE'LL PROBABLY JUST HANG RIGHT THERE.

LOOK AT THAT.

LET'S T CLOSER TO A LITTLE BIT OF WATER.

♪ THIS AREA IS A GREAT DEAL MORE STEEP THAN THE AREA WHERE WE STARTED OUT.

YOU CAN IMAGINE THE FLATTENED AREA BY THE GLACIER WAS ED AGRICULTURALLY A GREAT DEAL.

DOWN HERE IT WAS MUCH TOO ROCKY FOR THAT AND SO THIS AREA HAS BASICALLY BEEN LEFT ALONE.

AND THAT MAKES IT EXTRA SPECIAL, DOESN'T IT?

, THIS IS WAY BEFORE GLACIER... OF COURSE THE GLACIER WAS SO FAR BACK BUT NEVER TOUCHED HERE.

NEVER QUITE GOT THIS FAR.

AND OK AT THE LITTLE CREEK COMING IN NOW TO THIS IMPOUNDMENT OF WATER.

AND RIGHT ON THE EDGE... YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY GOOD AT BUILDING LAKES AND ALL BUT THERE'S AN ANIMAL THAT WAS DOING IT LONG BEFORE MAN.

THE BEAVER.

YEAH, BEAVER DOES VERY WELL.

PILES OF WOOD THERE ON THE SIDE LET US KNOW THAT'S THE BEAVER LODGE, NOW, RIGHT UP AGAINST THE BANK.

AND OFTEN THEY'LL BURROW UP, DIG UP IN THE BANK TO HAVE THEIR LODGE EXTRA PROTECTED THERE THAT MAKES PRETTY GOOD SENSE.

AND THESE ANIMAL AGAIN, CONSTANTLY RE-ARRANGING THE WORLD.

AND YOU START LOOKING AROUND HERE AND YOU SEE THEIR ACTIVITY-- THE WAY THEY GNAW INTO THE SIDE OF THE TREE EATING THE BARK, CHANGING THAT INTO BEAVER AND THEN TAKING THE LEFT OVER WOOD AND DAMMING THINGS UP.

IN FACT, THEY MADE A BIG COMEBACK FROM THE LATE 1800's.

THEY'RE PROLIFIC NOW.

YEAH, YEAH.

YEAH.

NOW, LOOK OVER HERE.

OH, TURTLES ON THE LOG!

TURTLES EVERYWHERE!

YEAH.

THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PACE UP IN THAT LITTLE COVE.

AND, AGAIN, A LOT OF THEM E PROBABLY MIDLAND PAINTED TURTLES AND SOME SLIDERS AND OTHER THINGS.

BUT A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY.

BOY THEY LOVE THE SUNLIGHT; ALL OF THE REPTILES DO.

THAT LIZARD WAS JUST WARMING UP.

HE WASN'T WARMED UP FULLY.

THAT'S WHY HE WAS A LITTLE EASIER TO CATCH.

RUDY ALL THE TRAVELS WE'VE DONE I THINK THAT'S THE MOST TURTLES IN ONE SPOT I'VE SEEN.

YEAH, PERFECT TIME AGAIN, IN THE SPRING.

AND, THEN, OF COURSE WE'RE GOOD AT DAMMING UP CREEKS, TOO, AREN'T WE?

THIS DEVIL'S KITCHEN LAKE IS ABOUT 90 FEET IN ITS DEEPEST POINT.

TROUT ACTUAL LIVE IN HERE, RAINBOW TROUT.

HMM, COOL ENOUGH WATER.

YEAH.

AND THIS WILL GIVE US A GOOD VIEW.

LOOK AT THE LEDGE ER THERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE LAYERING IN THE ROCKS HERE.

THIS IS BASICALLY SEDIMENTARY ROCK HERE AND YOU SEE THE LAYERING AND AGAIN YOU SEE THAT HARDWOOD FOREST DRAPED OR THE SIDE.

MUCH MORE RUGGED HERE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF GLACIAL ACTIVITY THIS FAR DOWN IN ILLINOIS.

AND, REALLY, THE ROCKS.

YOU KNOW, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE ROCKS.

I MEAN WHERE BETTER TO TALK ABOUT ROCKS THAN, REALLY, RIGHT IN FRONT OF US?

AND YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF ROCK THAT IS?

LOOK AT THAT AREA THAT'S BEEN BROKEN THERE.

OH, I WOULD SAY SANDSTONE.

ITS A SAND STONEY ROCK, YEAH.

SAND GRAINS THAT ARE NATURALLY CEMENTED TOGETHER.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE NATURAL CEMENT HERE IS PRETTY OBVIOUSLY IRON, ISN'T IT?

BECAUSE THE RED.

LOOK AT ALL THE RED AND YELLOW IN IT.

AND, AGAIN, IRON COMBINES WITH OXYGEN.

IRON OXIDE IS A NATURAL CEMENT THAT HOLDS THOSE SAND GRAINS TOGETHER.

AND YOU GET A FEELING FOR THE LAYERING HERE JUST AS IF IT WERE RECENT MATERIAL.

THIS WAS LAID DOWN IN WATER MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.

OVER TIME, LICHENS AND TIME NO THIS LICHEN HELPS TO BREAK IT APART AS IT GE A FOOTHOLD AND FREEZES.

YEAH, SUCCESSION BEGINS WHEN THE ROCK IS BROKEN DOWN INTO SOIL.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS TO DO THAT ARE THOSE LITTLE LICHENS-- AN ALGA AND A FUNGUS LIVING TOGETHER BREAKING THE ROCK DOWN SLOWLY BUT SURELY.

OF COURSE, AS IT BREAKS DOWN, OTHER PLANTS TAKE HOLD.

POISON IVY COMES IN AND IS DOING VERY WELL HERE.

YEAH, THAT'S VERY COMMON PLANT AND IT IS POISONOUS TO THE TOUCH FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE.

EARLY FLOWERS ON THAT TOO.

THE LEAVES AREN'T QUITE AS EXPANDED AS THEY NORMALLY ARE BUT THREE PARTS TO THE LEAF.

LEAFLETS THREE, LET IT BE.

SEE SOMETHING ELSE RIGHT THERE SINCE YOU'VE AIMED US IN THAT DIRECTION.

MORE ANIMALS.

TENT CATERPILLAR NEST.

LOOK AT THAT, VERY OBVIOUS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE CATERPILLARS-- REALLY FAIRLY LARGE NOW-- THAT ARE RIGHT ON THAT CHERRY TREE.

THEY SEEM TO HIT CHERRY TREES HEAVILY.

AND I SEE, OF COURSE THE SILK SPUN OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE CATERPILLARS-- GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS.

SOMETIMES THEY'LL MOVE INTO THAT IF YOU REALLY BOTHER THEM.

AND REALLY LOOK CAREFULLY, JIM ON THE BRANCH OVER THEM.

SEE THAT LITTLE GROUP OF EGGS.

THOSE... THAT'S THE LITTLE EGG MASS THAT'S STUCK ON THE BRANCH AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THOSE CATERPILLARS CAME FROM.

YOU CAN SEE THE EATEN LEAVES ON THAT.

CHANGING THE CHERRY INTO CATERPILLAR.

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

RECYCLING ALL THE TIME.

SHALL WE LEAVE?

HOLD ON, RIGHT UP IN HERE.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET IT.

LOOK AT THE LITTLE SNAKE JUST SUNNING RIGHT UP IN HERE.

( groans ) YEAH, I GOT IT BY THE TAIL.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE ME A SECOND TO GET IT.

NOT QUITE SO SMALL, RUDY.

WELL, IT'S ONE OF THE WATER SNAKES.

I GUESS IT REALLY SPENDS TIME UP HERE CAUSE IT'S VERY CLOSE TO T WATER.

OH, AND 'S A PERFECT, SUNNY DAY FOR IT TO BE OUT YEAH.

ONE THAT'S GOT A PRETTY GOO COMMON NAME FOR IT-- CALLED THE MIDLAND WATER SNAKE.

WHAT SIGNS TELL YOU IT'S A MIDLAND WATER SNAKE?

LOOK AT THOSE BANDS, JIM-- VERY OBVIOUS BANDS THAT ARE VERY NARROW ON THE SIDES.

AND IF YOU SEE, OK VERY CAREFULLY THEY'RE MUCH NARROWER-- THE BANDS-- THAN THE SPACES BETWEEN THE BANDS.

MM-HMM.

SO THAT GIVES IT THE COMMON NAME THE MIDLAND WATER SNAKE.

IT'S A SUBSPECIES THE NORTHERN WATER SNAKE.

NOW, WHEN I GOT HIM DOWN THERE LOOK HE'S GETTING READY TO SHED HIS SKIN-- PROBABLY JUST OUT OF HIBERNATION-- AND I SCRAPED A FEW OF THOSE SCALES.

I THINK HE'LL STILL BE ABLE TO SHED IT NORMALLY.

SNAKES SHED THAT SKIN, YOU KNOW TWO, THREE TIMES A YEAR ON AVERAGE.

RUDY, IT'S NONPOISONOUS BUT OFTEN, AREN'T THESE CONFUSED WITH COTTONMOUTH?

YEAH.

NONPOISONOUS WATER SNAKES ARE VERY COMMON.

REALLY, IF YOU SEE A SNAKE YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS YOU OUGHT TO TAT IT LIKE IT'S POISONOUS WHICH IN A PROTECTED AREA LIKE IS AND LEAVE IT ALONE.

IT FEEDS ON FROG TOADS, FISH AND SUCH.

AND AGAIN, AS YOU SAID-- NONPOISONOUS SNAKE.

SHALL WE PUT HIM DOWN TO ENJOY THE PLACE?

YEAH, AH.

PUT HIM DOWN ON THIS WARM ROCK HE SEEMS FAIRLY ACCUSTOMED TO THAT.

WISH HIM THE BEST HERE.

OOPS!

THERE HE GOES!

DOWN THE HILL!

OH, GOODNESS.

SLIPPING ON DOWN TOWARD THE WATER.

LET'S HEAD OFF.

I'M SURE THERE ARE PLENTY OTHER THINGS TO SEE.

♪ SO MANY NICE TRAILS HERE THAT MAKES THIS REFUGE VERY ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE.

SO MY WAYS TO ENJOY THESE PLACES.

THE BIRDS, THE ANIMALS, THE PLANTS.

THERE'S LOTS TO SEE.

EVEN A WILDERNESS AREA HERE-- PART OF IT SET ASIDE AS WILDERNESS SOME TIMES, RUDY, JUST OBJECTS ON THE FLOOR.

PIECE OF A TURTLE SHELL, RIGHT?

BOX TURTLE, AND OF COURSE PART OF THE HINGED UNDERSIDE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

PART OF THE PLASTRON.

AND YOU CAN SEE PRETTY CLEARLY, JIM.

SEE THOSE LITTLE LINES DUG OUT IN THE BONE?

THAT'S WHERE THE SCALES USED TO FIT ON...

I SEE.

USED TO GRIP, TO SPEAK.

SO THIS IS ANOTHER O OF THOSE REPTILES THAT HAD SCALES ON THE BODY.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT THAT'S ONE OF THE HINGED PARTS OF THAT SHELL.

YOU CAN SEE THE HINGE RIGHT ALONG THE FRONT.

YOU KNOW, THE OTHER SIDE ONE MIGHT SEE IT AND SAY GEE, THAT'S PART OF A HEEL FROM A SHOE.

YEAH, IT'S KIND OF AN AMAZING THING.

TURN IT OVER, YOU CAN TELL IT'S PART OF A BOX TURTLE.

WE, IT'S ONE OF THE TURTLES DOING WELL.

IS ONE, NOW, NOT IN THE WATER BUT ON LAND.

RUDY, SOMETIMES WE DON'T SEE THE ANIMALS BUT WE KNOW THEY'VE BE HERE FROM THE CLUES.

THAT'S PART OF THE FUN OF WALKING IN THE WOODS, ISN'T IT?

PLAYING DETECTIVE A LITTLE BIT.

LOTS OF THINGS TO SEE.

SO MANY PRETTY FLOWERS TO SEE, TOO INCLUDING THAT PURPLE...

BOY, THAT ONE TAKES OVER-- LOOK AT THAT!

YEAH, 'S ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE ONE OF THE SPIDERWORT-- TRADESCANTIA.

BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS ON IT.

AND I SEE A FEW INSECTS-- LOOKS LIKE BEETLES FROM HERE-- DOING A LITTLE BIT OF WORK, TAKING THE NECTAR AND THAT'S A GOOD ENERGY SOURCE FOR THAT INSECTS.

INSECTS AND FLOWERING PLANTS ARE INTIMATELY CONNECTED.

I SEE ANOTHER ONE RIGHT HERE.

NOW, LOOK AT THIS ONE ON THE STALK COMING UP-- A COUPLE THERE.

I'VE HEARD IT CALLED WAKE ROBIN IN SOME PLACES.

WAKE ROBIN-- ONE OF THE TRILLIUMS, FOR SURE.

THAT MAY BE THE PRAIRIE TRILLIUM.

BUT INTERESTING BECAUSE THE LEAVES THERE HAVE LITTLE PETIOLES OR STEMS ON THE LEAVES.

TYPICAL OF THE SPRINGTIME.

AN"TRI-LIUM" WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT-- THREE PARTS.

THREE LEAVES, THREE PARTS THE FLOWERS-- TRILLIUM.

VERY NICE AND, OF COURSE, THERE IS THE TREE WHO HAS THOSE WHITE BRACS THAT LOOK LIKE PETALS UNDER FLOWERS THIS TIME OF YEAR-- FLOWING DOGWOOD.

GREAT UNDER STORY PLANT, ISN'T IT?

AND SO PROLIFIC.

I ME, YOU SEE IT THROUGH OUT THE SOUTHERN STATES.

WELL, THIS IS A GOOD, DIVERSE HARD WOOD FOREST" AND THERE'S A LOT OF VARIETY HERE.

LET'S JUST HEAD ON OUT.

♪ WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO BE OUTDOORS!

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPOT HERE IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS!

THIS IS ONE OF THREE OF THE ARTIFICIAL LAKES AT THE REFUGE THIS ONE ABOUT 800 ACRES GOOD FOR BOATING, FISHING, CAMPING.

THE REFUGE IS A MULTI-USE PLACE.

YEAH, AND THAT WILDERNESS AREA, AS I UNDERSTAND ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND WE'RE STANDING, AGAIN, ON SAND STONE ROCK THAT OUTCROPS ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE.

AND REALLY, IN PRETTY SHALLOW SOILS.

HERE'S ONE TREE THAT DOES VERY WELL-- EASTERN RED CEDAR.

THAT'S ONE OF E MOST WIDESPREAD CONIFERS NORTH AMERICA.

AND LOOK AT THIS ONE.

THIS LITTLE PLANT-- A DECIDUOUS LEAF PLANT HE.

FRUIT ON IT.

I'VE HEARD IT CALLED SERVICEBERRY.

SERVICE BERRY IS ONE NAME SHADBUSH IS ANOTHER NAME.

SOME PEOPLE CALL IT "SARVICE."

WHEN THE WHITE FLOWERS ARE ON PEOPLE USED TO CUT OFF BRANCHES AND TAKE THEM TO CHURCH "SARVICE."

( laughing ): SO THE NAME SARVICE-- OR SERVICEBERRY ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT.

AND THEN, LOOK AT THIS HARD TO BELIEVE THE VARIETY PLANTS HERE.

GREAT VARIETY OF HABITS.

PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS BESIDE A LAKE NOW, SEE IT WAS HERE BEFORE THE LAKE GOT HERE A FAIRLY DRY, ROCKY AREA AND IT'S DONE VERY NICELY.

THICKENED STEMS THERE.

THOSE AREN'T LEAVES, YOU KNOW.

THICKENED STEMS HOLDING IN WATER.

AND A FEW SPINES TO PROTECT THAT INVESTMENT OF WATER.

REALLY WIDESPREAD BUT YOU THINK OF IT IN DRYER PLACES.

YEAH-- A LOT DIVERSITY HERE.

ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT WE CAN DO NEXT-- WE'RE STANDING ON TOP OF ROCK HERE.

LET'S GO TO PLACE WHERE WE CAN, IN A SENSE GET UNDERNEATH THE ROCKS AND SEE WHAT NATURE HAS OFFER THERE.

♪ THIS RUGGED TOPOGRAPHY HERE REALLY JUST IS A PERFECT SETUP FOR PLANTS BECAUSE THOSE NUTRIENT-RICH SOILS THAT ARE PRODUCED RE THAT STAY HERE...

THIS IS ONE OF A DOZEN DIFFERENT HABITATS, RUDY ON THE REFUGE IT SELF.

YEAH.

WELL, THE'S A LOT OF THINGS HERE AT NEED A LITTLE EXTRA MOISTURE AND SO THEY DO VERY WELL.

THE ROCK THAT WE ARE WALKING BY IS THAT SAME SAND STONE THAT WE SAW A TURTLE WHILE AGO EXCEPT WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE DIFFERENT FEELING FOR IT NOW.

ALMOST A STRANGE FEELING OF LAYERING OF MATERIAL IN THERE, SEE AT?

TWISTING AND WEATHERED SILL BY THE... SEE THE WAY IT ERODES OUT-- WIND AND WATER CHANGING THE WORLD.

WE SAY THAT NATURE DOES THAT ALL THE TIME.

AND REALLY, YOU SEE THERE'S LEDGE OVER US.

IF YOU LOOKING THE DISTANCE YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS, OF COURSE WHEN WATER FLOWS OVER HARDER ROCK WITH SOFTER ROCK UNDERNEATH.

DOESN'T ERODE THE HARD ROCK VERY RAPID-- SEE THE WATER FLOW DOWN THERE-- BUT IT LAPS UNDER AND SLOWLY WEATHERS THE SOFTER MATERIAL AND THAT'S WHAT LEADS TO FORMATION OF WATER FALLS.

SO IT'S A CAP ROCK UP ON TOP AND...

ABSOLUTELY-- AND LOOK AT THE HUNKS OF I SEE?

IT FELL DOWN WHEN THE MATERIAL UNDERNEATH WAS ERODED OUT.

AND WHEN YOU BREAK THIS ROCK UP, YOU FORM SOILS-- NUTRIENT-RICH SOILS.

LOT OF ORGANIC MATERIAL.

LOOK AT THE PLANTS.

EVER-CHANGING, YEAH.

THERE'S A LITTLE SPECIES THAT WE WERE WALKING BY COMING DOWN.

LOOK AT THE LEAVES THERE-- THREE PARTS TO THE LEAF.

SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS.

YEAH.

SO IT LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE POISON IVY EXCEPT THIS IS A SHRUBBY PLANT.

BLADDERNUT IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

AND THIS TIME OF THE YEAR LOOK AT THE LITTLE CLUSTERS, LITTLE TASSELS OF FLOWERS THERE TOGETHER.

SEE THEM?

WHITE, HANGING DOWN I SEE A LOT OF BLUISH, BLUISH-PURE FLOWERS GOING DOWN THE HILLSIDE THERE.

WHAT KIND IS THAT?

WATERLEAF' ONE OF THE COMMON NAMES FOR THAT.

NUMBER OF SPECIES OF PLANTS HERE NOW THAT ARE DOING VERY WELL AND FLOWERING, MANY OF THEM, IN THE SPRING.

YOU KNOW WHY THEY FLOWER SO ABUNDANTLY IN THE SPRING?

TO ATTRACT THE INSECTS.

YEAH, BUT WHY NOT SUMMER?

AH... SPRINGTIME YOU FLOWER BEFORE THE LEAVES SHADE OUT THE PLANT.

GET THE FLOWERING OUT OF THE WAY.

THAT'S USING A LOT OF YOUR ENERGY.

MM-HMM.

AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR GREEN LEAVES TO COLLECT LOTS OF ENERGY BEFORE THE CANOPY OF LEAVES BLOCKS YOU OUT.

INTERESTING WAY TO DO BUSINESS HERE.

MOST LIKELY THE FIRST INHABITANTS WERE THE SHAWNEE INDIANS AROUND 1740 AND I'LL BET THEY CAME TO THIS VERY SPOT HERE IN THE AREA.

AND PROBABLY LOOKED VERY MUCH LIKE IT DOES TODAY.

NATURE CHANGES THINGS BUT OF COURSE THE PROCESS OF CHANGE-- GEOLOGICAL CHANGE-- IS VERY, VERY SLOW.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN WORK OUR WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT WATERFALL.

♪ ANOTHER GREAT THING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PLACES AT CRAB ORCHARD THEY'RE SO CLOSE TO THE HIGHWAYS.

WE'RE JUST A FEW FEET OFF ONE OF THE MAIN ROADS.

YEAH, I LOVE THE DIVERSITY HERE.

OF COURSE, THAT WHAT MAKES PLACES LIKE THIS VERY, VERY SPECIAL AND WATER, OF COURSE, AS WE'VE SD SO OFTEN SEEMS TO BE ONE THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

AND THAT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHEN...

WHEN YOU S A PLACE LIKE THIS, HUH?

OH, IT'S FANTASTIC!

A LITTLE TRICKLE OF WATER NOW.

AND YOU CAN IMAGINE AFTER HEAVY RAINS HOW MUCH MORE WATER IS CASCADING OVER THE SIDE CREATING A TOTALLY DIFFERENT HABITAT.

LOOK UNDERNEATH THERE WITH ALL OF THE LITTLE GREEN PLANTS THAT JUST NEED EXTRA MOISTURE TO SURVIVE.

PROBABLY LOTS OF LIVERWORTS AND OTHER THINGS RIGHT ON THAT SIDE DOING VERY WELL IN THAT SITUATION.

GET A FEELING FOR LAYERING HERE, TO JUST LIKE WE DID BACK THERE.

STRATIGRAPHY HERE.

SO MUCH BEAUTY, RUDY.

AND SO MUCH PLANT LIFE GETTING A FOOTHOLD AS WE MOVE AWAY FROM WHERE THE ROCKS BREAK DOWN.

WELL, THE TREES AROUND THIS PLACE, NOW ARE VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU'RE BEGINNING TO SEE SUGAR MAPLES IN HERE.

YOU' BEGINNING TO SEE AMERICAN BASSWOOD IN HERE.

AND WITH ALL THE MOISTURE LOOK AT THE JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT UNDERNEATH THEM ALL.

AND THEN THE... SURE IS, WITH E LITTLE...

PULPIT LIKE.

THE OLD PULPIT WITH THE PREACHER JACK SITTING IN THE MIDDLE.

THAT'S ALWAYS AMAZED ME BECAUSE FLOWERS, WE SAY, ARE MODIFIED LEAVES.

WELL, THAT REALLY LOOKS LIKE IT'S SO IN JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT.

I SEE SOME PHLOX OVER THERE FLOWERING, TOO-- THAT MORE OF A PURPLE LOOK TO THE FLOWERS.

COMMON PHLOX?

YEAH.

REALLY COMMON ON THESE HILLSIDES HERE.

AGAIN, A VERY, VERY INTERESTING PLACE BECAUSE OF THE ROCKS, RICH SOILS AND THE MOISTURE HERE.

♪ USUALLY WHEN YOU THINK OF NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES YOU THINK OF FRESH WATER IMPOUNDMENTS THAT HE BEEN MADE BY MAN.

BUT WE SAID EARLIER, THERE AND OTHER THINGS THAT CAN DAM UP STREAMS AND THIS IS THE WORK OF THE BEAVER.

AND SUCH A CLOSE-UP LOOK, TOO, AT WHAT THEY CAN DO INCLUDING THEIR LODGE IN THE BACKGROUND INTERESTING DESIGN, BACKING UP WATER AGAIN, GIVING THEM PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS.

THEY CAN JUST DIVE INTO THE WATER TO ESCAPE PREDATORS.

AND WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY CHANGE THE WORLD.

PONDS LIKE THIS.

MAN, OF COURSE, PRODUCES SOME BUT BEAVERS PRODUCED MOST OF THEM BEFORE MEN WERE DAMMING UP STREAMS.

VERY RARE THAT YOU FIND STANDING WATER IN NATURE.

SYCAMORE TREES COMING UP IN THE BACKGROUND THERE.

OF COURSE, EVENTUALLY THE BEAVER WILL USE THE FOOD SUPPLY AND MOVE O TO ANOTHER PLACE.

THAT'S RIGHT, AND EVENTUALLY, OF COURSE PLACES LIKE THIS FILL IN.

LOOK AT RIGHT HERE-- ALMOST ESCAPE!

SMALL TURTLE.

A SMALL TURTLE.

THIS IS A PERFECT PLACE TO FIND IT.

COMMON NAME-- THE RED-EARED TURTLE.

AS IN MUCH OF NATURE IT'S EASY TO SEE WHERE HE GOT HIS NAME.

AH, THAT RED BLOTCH BEHIND THE EYE IS PRETTY OBVIOUS, ISN'T IT?

EVEN FROM A DISTANCE YOU CAN SEE IT.

AND THIS IS ONE VARIETY OF TURTLE THAT DOES BEST IN STANDING WATER.

AND COURSE A BEAVER POND WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE TO FIND LO OF IT.

FEEDS ON PLANT AND ANIMAL MATERIAL AND USUALLY HAS DARK MARKINGS, YEAH ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SHELL.

YOU CAN SEE THAT FAIRLY WELL THERE.

THIS IS YOUNG ONE.

AGAIN, GROWING VERY RAPIDLY.

I'M SURE THIS IS A PERFECT PLACE FOR IT.

SEE THOSE BACK LEGS THAT ARE PRETTY GOOD IN SWIMMING WEBBED.

DOES THE SHELL GROW ALONG WITH THE TURTLE AS HE GETS OLDER?

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT BECAUSE REALLY THE BONEY PART OF THE SHELL IS REALLY THE SKIN-- THE BONE AND THE SKIN.

SO IT'S LIKE OUR SKIN AS WE GET LARGER, IT ALSO GETS LARGER WITH US.

43,500 ACRES OF SMALL THINGS AND LARGE THING AND SO MANY THINGS TO LOOK AT IF YOU SLOW DOWN AND TAKE THE TIME.

MARVELOUS PLACE TO COME ANY TIME OF THE YEAR.

THIS IS THE CRAB ORCHARD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS A GREAT PLACE FOR A VISIT FROM NATURE SCENE.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

JOIN US AGAIN NEXT TIME.

♪ ♪ NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM HELPING SUSTAIN NATURE SCENE FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

WHERE PROTECTION A IMPROVEMENT OF OUR ENJOINMENT ARE EQUAL IN IMPORTANCE TO PROVIDING ELECTRIC ENERGY.

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