Nov 15 - Kankakee Sands Indiana

Heading down to visit the Kankakee Sands Nature conservancy property on the Indiana side today. I visited the Illinois side many years ago as an IWIN (Illinois Wilds in Nature) day trip. They must have must just starting out as I remember looking for Regal Frits (endangered butterfly) but not seeing any. Today it appears they are very easy to spot at least on the Indiana side. Note: this is a 20 year restoration and still going.

Again not a great day. In the 40s and clouded but I'm not to check it out for a future summer butterfly trip. There are a few butterflies flying that I have not yet seen.

I'm actually hoping to see some but it would really be stretch.

We arrive at Conrad Prairie and there a several cars parked, we just drive by. But I see that my hope of seeing butterflies will not happen as the prairie looks as it should in middle of Nov; dry and no flowers.

We continue on to the Discovery Trail and stop for the 2 mile hike. 

It's nice to see old friends, verbena, blushclover, grey headed coneflower, etc.

We do many to find 4 flowers on the same plant in different locations.

And I find some yellow seed pods.

It was a nice walk.

Just before we complete the loop, we see bunches of Prickly Pear Cactus.

There area, as part of the restoration, also has a bison herd as they once roamed the area. We stop to see them as well.

Great day!


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