Collecting Specimens

I spent all morning out collecting specimens near Birch Lake in Osage County, Oklahoma. Even though temperatures are cooler than last week, not many animals are moving. I saw one ribbon snake (Thamnophis) and caught a yearling snapping turtle (Chelidra serpentina). I will add the turtle along with a few small crayfish to the classroom aquarium. Saw a few more interesting plants including this milkweed and compass plant in bloom. The areas I saw burned along the roadside this spring are now a diverse assemblage of grasses and flowers blooming in succession. Each week there is something new emerging as another nearby species completes its annual lifecycle.