The Pond at Holly's Hill

The pond at Holly's Hill (not in the public area) still has water in it!  It usually dries up in early July.  It's cool to see ducks swimming and deer wading.  Best yet, the foxes seem to be leaving the drip line in the vineyard alone (see "Bite Me)...easier to take a big drink from the pond I guess.

Other than porcupines, the most interesting animal to see there is the Western Pond Turtle.  It's a threatened reptile due to reduced habitat, the non-native bull frog and pet-released painted turtles.  It turns out that seasonal ponds like ours make good habitat because the bull frog needs year round water.

Our resident turtle came just in time too.  Carrie was considering getting a pet turtle but now we don't have to...we have a wild one living right outside our house.