10-MAY-2010
Yellow-rumped warbler
This warbler was singing his heart out. But most birds were fairly quiet today. I heard some orioles and yellow warblers singing around the garden, goldfinches, cardinals, chickadees, song sparrows (of course!). And the tree swallows were very active, as were the red-winged blackbirds. Jeewanthi also saw a white-crowned sparrow and a warbling vireo in the Arboretum.
10-MAY-2010
Bleeding hearts
These flowers look as if encircled by a halo of light. Jeewanthi captured these beauties in the BYG.
10-MAY-2010
Bottom's up!
These mallards were very, very busy upending themselves to reach down into the water for something tasty. They did it again and again and again. They may have been feeding on aquatic vegetation, or insects, but I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't discovered toad tadpoles.
10-MAY-2010
Snapping turtle
It was a three turtle day at the garden today. This big snapper was floating half under the surface as usual. A few feet away, and looking remarkably small in comparison, was the duckweed covered red-eared slider, and just behind those two, the big domed shell of the Blanding's turtle. Unfortunately, it had its back to me, so I saw only the carapace.
10-MAY-2010
American emerald (Cordulia shurteleffi)
It was nice to see this dragonfly, especially as it was so cooperative! It is the second new species for our list this spring.
Although sunny, today was very brisk, chilly and windy. Despite that, a few butterflies and other insects were out. I saw three each of cabbage whites and red admirals, and two clouded sulphurs. Sweat bees, flesh flies, bumblebees, including red-banded, and various syrphids were also found. But certainly the cold and the strong winds held down activity.
10-MAY-2010
American emerald (Cordulia shurteleffi)
This dragonfly obligingly landed on some grass on the edge of the Ash Woods. I was pretty sure this was a new species for list, and it is.
10-MAY-2010
Fade to pink
It is not even mid-May, but so many of the wildflowers are on the wane. This white trillium is fading to pink as they do in their final days. We wait for so long for the wildflowers to appear, and we get so excited at the first spring ephemerals, the Bloodroot, for example, Bellwort, violets, and the the trilliums and Foamflower, but almost before you can turn around they are over and done with. With the heavy rains and strong winds of the weekend, many of the flowering trees have also lost their flowers. But at least there are some chokecherries and crabapples still in full flower, and the English hawthorn is just beginning to bloom (though the native hawthorns have finished).
07-MAY-2010
Enrichment class students removing garlic mustard
A group of students enrolled in an enrichment program mini-course, came to the FWG on both Tuesday and Friday. On Friday they worked hard at removing garlic mustard and did a superb job.
07-MAY-2010
Yellow snail
While the students were pulling garlic mustard, they found this gorgeous yellow snail, as well as the lovely striped one in the next photo.
07-MAY-2010
Black snail
This very ornamental looking black and white snail was the second one found by the students at FWG. After they had looked at this one and the yellow one (above), they put them back where they had found them.
07-MAY-2010
Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)
Cathy was working in the Backyard Garden when she spied this beauty on the Globe thistle. Four-spotted skimmers are abundant right now and are very golden in the sun with their bright fresh colours.
07-MAY-2010
Female Red-winged blackbird with nest material
These birds have been busy for the last week or so, gathering nest material, long strands of grass which they weave around last year's cattail stems.
