April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but it also makes the few brave April flowers a little wet, like these Siberian squills, a native plant of southwestern Russia, the Caucasus, and Turkey (but not native to Siberia). The blue color helps brighten a rainy day but it is becoming invasive in Midwestern United States.
Showers on Siberian Squills
Dabbling ducks, like the Blue-winged Teals, forage in shallow waters such as flooded fields and marshes. They feed by tipping up rather than diving to reach aquatic vegetation and other food items. When taking flight, they spring into the air instead of pattering across the water.
Male Blue-winged Teals
A late April Sunday walk through the woods would be nice to search for wildflowers, but today it was a bit chilly and the ground still soggy plus the late spring has very few wildflowers open yet. I did find a “wild” flower on my lawn though. Snow Glory, also called Glory-of-the-Snow, is a small bulb-producing plant native to western Turkey and garden centers sells this ornamental bulb. I had some planted in my retaining wall beds, but now they have escaped, relocating on different areas of my lawn, even up a steep hill.
Wild Flower
The brick building may be old, but it could provide some shelter from rain or snow. And for change, today’s snow went to the south so I didn’t have to shovel that white stuff again.
Old Brick Building
While I was cutting up fallen trees and limbs today, others were planting trees because of National Arbor Day. It looks like Mother Nature planted two different trees rather close together.
Trees Together
The day started cloudy with the rain skirting by tot he south and the sun appeared in the late afternoon. Although a few rain clouds moved back in by evening as a few sprinkles landed on me as I was trying to capture the sunset.
Sprinkling Sunset
The trees are slowing budding out but right now it is hard to know if it is spring or fall at a quick glance until the new leaves start to emerge and the grass starts to green up again.
Spring Slow Start
More spring birds have returned including tree swallows and this Savannah Sparrow which seemed to be enjoying the sunshine after the rainy days. A female Savannah Sparrow must gather ten times her weight in food, like insects and spiders, to feed herself and her young during the eight days they are in the nest.
Savannah Sparrow
This turtle looks like heavy machinery powering through whatever it wants, but it does move slowly so I doubt a turtle will ever replace the Easter Bunny to quickly hide enough eggs.
Slow Moving Turtle
The Easter Bunny might not be able to hide its eggs in the snow, but even though Easter is later this year, he still won’t be able to snack on clovers after his work is done since the snow just melted.
Easter Bunny
