On our last day at the Lake of the Ozarks, Memorial Day, we decided to go on a short hike…the hike had to be short because of two reasons….several things (including a very late night the previous evening!) made a very late start, and it was rather hot and humid.

On the way, from the car,when we looked down, we spotted some turtles:

When we looked up, we spotted some TURKEY VULTURES: The bluffs on the way had been graded to enable the roads to be built: We stopped at the Lake of the Ozarks National Park: We decided to go to the stables there, and take the trail. We saw a tepee, rather bedraggled: We walked a short while on this trail, but all we seemed to be doing was to avoid horse poop, and the dug-up path that the horses' hooves had left; so we decided to try another trail instead. This made us later still, and we opted for the shortest rrail possible, the Lake View Bend Trail: Alas, it was bird siesta time, and by the time I did see some birds in the trees on our way back, it was very late, and I had to walk really fast, so there was no bird photography at all! But as it was, I dallied to photograph some mushrooms: I got to photograph only one butterfly, but there were several more that were, alas, in "flitting" mode and which I could not follow! Several wildflowers rewarded our walk (though there was a good breeze, it was still a humid and rather uncomfortable affair, and we were getting really hungry! It was lovely to see this bed of green: Even when we went to Jefferson City later in the evening, on our way home, there were some lovely flowers to see: As we walked around, I spotted this beautiful dragonfly, which looked rather like our Pied Paddyfield Skimmer back home: Right up on the Capitol building, I spotted a HOUSEFINCH: and a baby COTTONTAIL RABBIT lolloped by:

On the trail, of course, were the mammals dearest to me….here they are, resting briefly at the lakeshore:

You can see them through the shade of the trees:

It was quite an enjoyable hike, though it certainly delayed us quite badly on our trip home!