- Calamus Swamp
Calamus Swamp is a 19 acre public preserve that has a natural kettle lake/wetland. It is owned by the Columbus Audubon. It is located 1.5 miles from Circleville in Pickaway County, Ohio.
History
Calamus Swamp includes the only known kettle lake in Central Ohio that is naturally vegetated and undisturbed. The kettle lake was made in the last ice age by the glacier that covered 2/3 of Ohio. When Ada May Burke and Sally V. May got the land, they donated it to Columbus Audubon who then made it into a public preserve.
Plant Life
According to the Columbus Audubon website, [http://www.columbusaudubon.org/ Columbusaudubon.org] , Calamus Swamp has a unique plant community. Because of the moist soil, trees such as the American Elm, Green Ash and, in places, Red and Silver Maples make up the swamp forest.
Animals
Calamus Swamp has a wide range of animals.
Birds
Because the Scioto River is only 1.5 miles away, the lake attracts many migrating water birds, such as ducks, geese, grebes and maybe a loon or cormorant. For a complete list of birds, check the species checklist on [http://www.columbusaudubon.org/ columbusaudubon.org]
Mammals
Mammals that have been spotted here include raccoons, muskrats, groundhogs, opossums, and white-tailed deer.
Other Animals
The lake is home to a lot of other animals. These include the Ohio Fairy shrimp, white leech, horse leech, giant water bug, pond snail, and the blood sucking leech.
External links
[http://www.columbusaudubon.org/ columbusaudubon.org]
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