Fanwort & Hornwort

Fanwort

Fanwort is a fully aquatic true plant. It grows steadily through the warm months, and can choke-out large areas, then dies back in the winter. Fanwort produces tiny flowers above the surface.

-- Wikipedia


Hornwort

Hornwort is very similar to Fanwort. In fact, unless you are a botanist, it might as well be the same thing. Hornwort produces tiny flowers underwater, an easy way to tell them apart.

-- Wikipedia


Fanwort is the more common of the two, if you are paying attention. Both grow almost to the surface, but are not usually a problem for paddling. As with Water Lilies, I have tried to take Fanwort for the aquarium, but it just dies. My guess is it needs full sun and nothing less will do.


Male, females are gray

This is one of my favorite birds to see when I am out paddling. You're not going to get very close though, a good reason to bring along the binoculars. The Kingfisher is a songbird that thinks it's a hawk. They are actually related to Hummingbirds. You might think that makes them not very aquatic, but I have seen them dive into the water, surface, and take off again, so I guess they put some effort into evolving. ( The Cormorant might want to take notes. ) Kingfishers usually sit in branches near the shoreline, and fly very low and fast over the water.