Around the middle of May Phlox appears in the White Clay Creek environs like clockwork. Enjoy the beauty as the flowers bloom, but be advised; groundhogs, rabbits and deer love to eat it, as do lots of insects. The name Phlox means “flame” in Greek, aptly named for its fiery colors in pink and violet/blue.
A favorite prey of Bald Eagles in the pecking order, Great Blue Herons are the largest Herons in North America and have been around for 1.5 million years. They feed primarily on fish, but eat small mammals, other birds, insects, snakes, toads, frogs and mollusks as well. Great Blues live an average of ten to seventeen years and adults weigh about three pounds. Large birds have wingspans as great as six feet which enables them to cover distances of up 4,000 miles during their annual Spring migrations. They are hard to photograph, but every once in a while the merciful Gods of White Clay Creek Preserve have been known to give knuckle-headed photographers a gift.