Leaves dropping already.  Hearing Barred Owls in the evening.

Carlos Avery is Ridiculously Dry

Hopefully we get some rain this evening.

Wife saw a young black bear along 61 between Stacy and Wyoming.

Over 90 degrees in the shade today. Thistle feeder draining faster than my 401k.

Canoeing on Sunshine Pool

Loads of various aquatic plants, including white water lily. Loads of swallows spotted eating the dragon and mayflies (who were in turn feeding on the mosquitoes and gnats.)

Hazy summer weekend.   Sandhill Cranes and ravens both very vocal this week.  Also heard loons  and wood ducks and spotted mallards nesting in the flooded roadside ditches.

Ravens

Hearing more and more ravens north of the cities.  Saw one perched by the concrete plant by Stacy, MN.

Wild Rose, Carlos Avery

Prairie Ninebark in the front yard

The local bees and butterflies seem to love it.

Sandhill Crane Track in Carlos Avery

Dry Spell on the Sunrise River's Pretty Well Over

Prairie Smoke Exploding into Bloom out front.

Monarchs Spotted

Numerous monarchs spotted on Sunshine Trail. Tent Caterpillars seem to be out in force as well. Wonder how much of this is due to the warm spring and the recent wet weather. Ravens heard (but not yet seen) lately around Linwood Township. Unusual as they generally stick north.

Oriole Spotted

Appears to be gathering bits of dried milkweed plant to make a nest in our backyard.

Black Cherry Tree in Bloom

Tiger Swallowtail seen feeding on some nectar-rich serviceberry blossoms down the road.

Wildllife on Pelican Lake

Making a Stopper Knot
Overhauled the running rigging and launched the Springtide. Had the lake almost to ourselves this weekend, save for seagulls, great blue and green herons, and a noisy band of terns. Wind so light on Saturday it took us two hours to run as many miles.

Baby Geese in Carlos Avery

Canadian geese spotted with their young in Carlos Avery.

Sandhill Cranes Spotted in Carlos Avery

Sandhill Cranes

The Sunrise River Prairie Smoke growing in native garden.

Saw swallows, Wood Ducks, geese, Mallards, Grebes, and a Great Blue Heron in Carlos Avery this morning.

Mohican Viburnum starting to bloom

Trumpeter Swans

Spotted a pair near Stacy, MN that seemed to be travelling in a flock of Canadian Geese. Sandhill Cranes extremely vocal. While the morning was cloudy and in the 40's, temps seem to be picking up as the sun comes out. Cleaned out the bluebird houses, anticipate they'll be arriving early just as everything else is this year.

Found a beautiful section of the Sunrise trail off a small dirt road near Stacy.

Wood Ducks scoping out potential nests in Circle Pines, MN. Cooler. Fewer chorus frogs, but Spring Peepers still heard sporadically.

A photo of what I believe to be a flock of coots in Carlos Avery. Unusually (and I emphasize the un part of usually) warm. Temps in the 60's.

Heard the first spring peepers and sandhill cranes yesterday. Peepers strident this evening as the first storm hits. Unusually warm&humid.

Maple flowers.
Like Medusa, except with a birdhouse.

Photos from the Maplewood Nature Center

Saw three flocks of geese on the way to work, and a large number mulling about on Lamprey Lake off 35.

Heard the following in the pat few days:

• Canadian Geese
• Sandhill Cranes
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-winged Blackbird