Rainbow in Linwood Township

Bursts of heavy rain throughout the day and evening, followed by spots of sun (shown above). The recent warm temperatures and damp weather seem to have postponed the onset of fall, and the colors haven't changed much in the past week. Saw a Monarch butterfly Saturday. Rather surprised as I thought they were gone for the season, but a friend in Canada told me there's hordes of them near Toronto, and have heard about Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in the Brainerd.

Garden Report

Wildlife Spotted

• Red Admiral


• American Toad


• Black-capped Chickadee


• Blue Jay


• Chorus Frog


• Cottontail Rabbit


• Crow, Common


• Goldfinch


• Gray Squirrel


• Green Frog


• Hairy Woodpecker


• Leopard Frog


• Monarch Butterfly


• Mourning Dove


• Northern Cardinal


• Nuthatch


• Pileated Woodpecker


• Red Squirrel


• Red-bellied Woodpecker


• Robin, American


• Turkey Vulture


• Virginia Opossum

In Bloom:

• Brown-eyed Susan


• Elm-leafed Goldenrod


• Harebell


• Purple Coneflower


• Showy Goldenrod


• Sweet Joe Pye Weed


• Woodland Sunflower

Have seen more European honeybees on the Showy Goldenrod than I have all year! Have counted over fifty on the stand at any one time, with individuals coming and going constantly, have even seen them resting on the undersides of the flowers through storms and at night. Weather is inconstant. 70's throughout the week, with 80's and some light rain today. Nothing but the calls of crickets and toads in the evening.

Saw a Turkey Vulture flying over the house today, and heard the call of the Pileated Woodpecker.

First Fall colors! Precipitated by the drought, the sumac are a rich burgundy, while the tops of the maples are tinged with the lightest tinge of rust. Showy Goldenrod, one of the surest signs of fall, are just starting to bloom.

Nodding Beggar's Tick on the Linwood Trail


Was working around the pond this morning when I saw a frog leap out of the water, nab a grasshopper sitting on a leaf near the pond's surface, and dive back down. Though it's warm these days, with temps in the 80's, it is feeling a lot more like Autumn.

Saw a Turkey Vulture picking at road kill on the Stacy side of Carlos Avery today. Thought it was a crow from a distance, until we came up close and noticed that it was larger than even a hawk.

Linwood Trail's majorly overgrown. They must only tend it during the school year. Saw quite a few frogs and toads, as well as grasshoppers, cicadas, and a Pileated Woodpecker. Rough Blazing Star was in bloom, as were Nodding Beggar's Tick. Sneezeweed was reduced to a yellow puffball, as it is at home.

Still a few Monarch Caterpillars and Butterflies in the garden.

Garden Report:

Wildlife Spotted:

• American Toad
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Crow, Common
• Goldfinch
• Gray Catbird
• Gray Squirrel
• Green Frog
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Leopard Frog
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Squirrel
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Robin, American
• Turkey Vulture
• Virginia Opossum
• Wood Frog

In Bloom:

• Brown-eyed Susan
• Butterfly weed
• Elm-leafed Goldenrod
• Harebell
• Leadplant
• Prairie Onion
• Purple Coneflower
• Sweet Joe Pye Weed
• Turtlehead
• Woodland Sunflower

Woodland Sunflower

Unusually warm for mid-August with highs in the upper 80's and no real sign of rain until the end of the week. The green frogs are loving the pond and the shade of the new bog section, and am finding all sorts of feathers in the shallow end of the pool the songbirds like to use as a bird bath. I have noticed that the hypertufa is causing a slightly higher drain on my pond. This is to be expected as the porous mix saps up the water, and the sun heats the material. On the upside, it's sapped quite a bit of that extra into the pond garden, and I've hardly had to water at all. While my Elm-leafed Goldenrod is in full bloom, my Showy Goldenrod is still growing (about 5'8 presently) and spreading its buds. The False Indigo has really taken off this year, and is currently over 6' tall.

Leopard Frog at William O'Brian State Park

Some phenology to note at William O'Brian State Park. Monarchs everywhere at William O'Brian today; saw a caterpillar on a stand of Swamp Milkweed and seven or eight butterflies between the prairie plantings and bog; one hanging almost drunkenly off a stand of Rough Blazing Star. Frogs were also making themselves known; saw several Green Frogs and a Leopard on the trail itself. Saw a Turkey Vulture circling high over the swamps and bogs.

Beaver Lodge at William O'Brian

Water in the beaver pond was way down, and the beavers' lodge covered in more vegetation than I've seen in summers past. Likely due to the lower water levels and bog-like conditions in the soil and detritus atop the lodge.

Flowers we spotted included Woodland Sunflower, several varieties of Goldenrods and Asters, Sneezeweed, Culver's Root, some monstrous stands of Arrowhead, Rough Blazing Star, Brown-eyed Susan, White Water Lily, and Harebell.

Garden Report

Wildlife Spotted:

• American Toad
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Crow, Common
• Goldfinch
• Gray Catbird
• Gray Squirrel
• Green Frog
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Leapord Frog
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Squirrel
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Robin, American
• Virginia Opossum
• Wood Frog

Natives in Bloom:

• Brown-eyed Susan
• Butterfly weed
• Elm-leafed Goldenrod
• Harebell
• Leadplant
• Prairie Onion
• Purple Coneflower
• Sneezeweed
• Swamp Milkweed
• Sweet Joe Pye Weed
• Turtlehead
• Wild Bergamot
• Woodland Sunflower

European Honeybee on Purple Coneflower

Time certainly flies when you have too much to get done. Have completed a boardwalk along the backside of the pond, and a small native garden with Prairie Smoke, Partridge Pea, and Purple Prairie Clover. Plan to transplant my Ninebark and Sumac when Fall approaches, turning it into something very much like a rain garden. Combine that with a busy work schedule, a number of animal companions, and hobbies like 3d artwork, and it's surprising anything ever gets done.

Speaking of Fall's approach, Wild Bergamot is just starting to turn grey, and Sweet Joe Pye Weed and Elm-leafed Goldenrod, some of summer's last colors, have begun to bloom. It's been unusually warm and dry for August, but the recent drizzle has brought the temps down into the upper 70's this week.

Frogs have again become resident to the pond. Hoping to draw them towards the bog section, where there's plenty of mud and rocks for them to burrow under.