I really like marshes, swamps, rivers, streams, lakes, oceans, seas, and pretty much any place where land meets water.  This interface between states creates habitats that are home to all sorts of flora and fauna that thrive on the nooks and crannies (or niches, to you sciency types) that are unique to these areas.  If you move slow and quiet enough, you might see the nature before the nature sees (or cares about) you.  Generally, the lumbering human is obvious to the wildlife chilling out on the cattails and buggers off while yelling at you before you have a chance to get your focus right.  And by you, I mean me.  Speedy little twerps.

Occasionally, however, you’re lucky enough to connect lens to light and secure your shot before your friends fly or skitter away.  Here is a set of things I saw while appreciating the Horicon and Fairfield Marshes in southern Wisconsin, I hope you enjoy.  Oh, and taking pictures of plants is slightly cheating (they don’t move even if you accidentally step on them) but I do it anyway, because you can’t have ecosystems without plants.  They’re also pretty.