The Spring Beauty blossoms are popping up in my woods and I mowed around some patches on the farm lawn. These flowers close up at night and on cloudy days, so they like the sunshine like I do.
Spring Beauty Blossoms
Picture of the Day for May 7, 2024
After the morning showers, the sun shone in the afternoon as the thunderhead clouds began to rebuild for another round of rain.
Building Thunderheads
Picture of the Day for May 6, 2024
This squirrel was probably happy that I mowed my lawn so that it would be easier to find the seeds and nuts on the ground.
Surveying Squirrel
Picture of the Day for May 5, 2024
As the birds return and the year around birds shed their dull winter coat, the bird sunflower feeders show a rainbow of colors. The Goldfinch summer’s bright yellow feather pop next to the brilliant blue of the Indigo Bunting. And the red patch standout among the white and black of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Rainbow Colors at the Feeder
Picture of the Day for May 4, 2024
I received emails about “Happy Star Wars Day” and the “May the 4th be with you” today. And the shape of this moth might look like one of the various Star Wars ships. While normally I overlook a lot of the smaller moths, it was hard to miss this one since it was on the door handle. I believe this is a Plagodis phlogosaria, or straight-lined plagodis moth.
Straight-lined Plagodis
Picture of the Day for May 3, 2024
This small Jack-in-the-pulpit is just opening up so its hood isn’t covering ‘Jack’ that well yet. Maybe it will unfurl more before tomorrow’s rain.
Emerging Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Picture of the Day for May 2, 2024
The Virginia Bluebells may have felt a bit blue today with all the rain that fell which had my pond overflowing. The buds start out pink and turn blue as the blossom opens up.
Pink to Blue Blossoms
Picture of the Day for May 1, 2024
The April showers last night left water sitting on top of the ground and my shoes got a little muddy walking on the trail in my woods, but the April showers did bring the May flowers. Today I saw wildflowers open that weren’t a few days ago. I found Jack-in-the-pulpit, Great White Trilliums, Wood Anemones, Virginia Bluebells, Marsh Marigolds, Wood Violets, Spring Beauties and the Yellow Trout Lily. Although I know the trout lily by one of its other common names, the yellow adder’s tongue. Whatever the name, the bright yellow helps to find the flower.
Yellow Adder’s Tongue
Picture of the Day for April 30, 2024
Until I put camera in the duck house, I never realized how many other visitors came to the boxes besides ducks. Today, a house wren poked its head inside but probably figured it would take a long time to fill the large house with sticks for its nest. I was surprised to see a wren back this early as normally mine arrive after the orioles and grosbeaks, which I haven’t spotted yet this spring.
Wren Back Early
Picture of the Day for April 29, 2024
It is not just the returning birds looking to build a nest, but the year around birds are too, like this chickadee creating a cavity in a dead tree. I watched it bring mouthfuls of wood pieces out before turning around and going back in and when it reached the bottom of the hole, you couldn’t see the chickadee but you could hear it pecking inside the hole.
Down the Hole
