Overview: Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, a 23-acre Triangle Land Conservancy property with a 1-mile trail that connects to the Birkhaven Greenway, conserves a floodplain forest community that is teeming with life. In spring, visitors to the nature preserve can discover a variety of ephemeral wildflowers, herps, and birds hiding in the hardwood bottomlands.
Directions: Please visit the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) website for complete directions.
Observations & Ponderings: The TLC brochure at the entrance to this delightful urban oasis boldly proclaimed that visitors could encounter “a medley of wildflowers” in spring, territorial green anoles that bob their heads and inflate their red throat sacks, and a host of birds including the tiny ruby-crowned kinglet—featured in the brochure in a gorgeous photograph. To be honest, I had my doubts; but after spending a few hours hiking the 1-mile trail system on March 22, 2009, I was a believer. I even photographed the preserve that day, wanting proof that such richness could persist in a small wedge of protected bottomland forest in Wake County.
The first thing that impresses a spring visitor to Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve is the startling density of spring ephemerals. The fertile floodplain was covered by a carpet of spring beauties (Claytonia virginica), interspersed with trout lilies (Erythronium umbillicatum), cutleaf toothworts (Cardamine concatenata), violets (Viola spp.), and delicate, trembling bloodroots (Sanguinaria canadensis). In fact, bloodroot was so photogenic that it demanded extra attention—Mark captured close-up images of blooming bloodroot that same day, while I photographed spring beauty, cutleaf toothwort, and violets along the trail. Yes: a veritable “medley of wildflowers,” thriving on high north-facing bluffs and in rich floodplain soil.
With my senses overwhelmed by this ephemeral display, at first I hardly noticed the auditory assault of southeastern chorus frogs, vireos, and woodpeckers. Then I heard a red-tailed hawk overhead; next, a red-shouldered hawk. I looked up, and high above the preserve both of these magnificent buteos soared, goading each other to go higher and higher. Moments later, a tiny flash of olive-yellow flitted past and paused in the greenbriers (Smilax spp.): a ruby-crowned kinglet. Again, the brochure lived up to its promise.
The trail along Swift Creek continued, with every bend yielding more flowers and birds. Eventually, we made our way back toward the parking lot, looping through the “overcup oak swamp.” This section of the preserve felt enchanted, with overcup oaks (Quercus lyrata) towering above—another moment I photographed, focusing on the distinctive leaves. Here we also found the first snake of the season: a small northern brown snake (Storeria dekayi), so cooperative (or so well-camouflaged) that I photographed it more than once before it slipped back into the leaf litter. And the surprises weren’t over. Right before we reached the gravel parking lot, a male green anole (Anolis caroliniensis) perched on a log, bobbing his head and inflating his red throat fan in full display. Again, Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve kept its word.
Sense of Place 