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.

Maple flowers.
Like Medusa, except with a birdhouse.

Prairie Ninebark in bloom

Been incredibly negligent blogger lately, but intend to catch up. Prairie Ninebark just exploded into full bloom; the native bush covered in clumps of white flowers. Seen a few honeybees and native bees around it, but not many, though it's in a good sunny spot. Bit of a dry period lately, with hot, sunny weather lasting most of the week. Peepers cut out, replaced mostly by Tree Frogs and Chorus Frogs. Lots of dragonflies, fleabane in bloom, and Wild Geranium flourishing.

Orioles and Red-winged Blackbirds common at the feeders, and the bluebird couple appear to have completed their parenting for the year and moved out. No hummingbirds spotted yet.

Wildlife Spotted since last update

• American Toad
• Bald Eagle
• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Canadian Goose
• Chipmunk, Eastern
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Downy Woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• Goldfinch
• Gray Tree Frog
• Green Frog
• Grey Squirrel
• Nuthatch
• Purple Finch
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Sandhill Crane
• Squirrel, Grey

Native Plants Blooming Since Last Update:

• Fleabane
• Jacob's Ladder
• Prairie Ninebark
• Rue Anemone
• Swamp Buttercup
• Wild Geranium

Toads began trilling yesterday, joining the Green Frog and Gray Tree Frog in my pond and the Chorus Frogs and Peepers in the surrounding swamplands. Can hear several other Tree frogs not far off at night. Orioles have found our hummingbird and oriole feeders. Baby bluebirds heard in bluebird house; first family of the season. Tent caterpillars found building large "tents", and tearing the foliage from buckthorn.

Quite warm, temperatures in the mid 70's with lots of sun. Decent gardening weather!

This evening marks the first break in the clouds we've seen since Sunday of last week. So far the week has been unseasonably cold, with temperatures peaking in the 40's.

Still lots of Red-winged Blackbirds hanging around the feeder, though we've seen the first Baltimore Oriole of the year just today, and the Eastern Bluebirds seem to have set up house in one of the two boxes. Loon calls can be heard from the nearby lakes and ponds, while the Peepers' chorus is still strident.

Last Friday's snow had a horrible effect on the native grape vines we had growing on the trellis. They seem to be making a bit of a comeback, but only time will tell if we see any grape production this year.

Native flowers seem to be doing quite well. Columbine, Blue-flag Iris, Swamp Buttercup, and Meadowrue foliage continuing to flourish (though no flowers yet), Prairie Smoke just starting to pop, stems of Butterflyweed and Bergamot finally starting to pop up. Mohican Viburnum just about to go out of bloom.

A Shot of Pelican Lake



Loon on Pelican Lake

Spent the weekend out on Pelican Lake, aboard a sailboat we bought for a song. Saw loads of wildlife including a congregation of six loons, several cormorants, what appeared to be a merganser, great blue and green heron.

Sailing has to be one of the most rewarding (and economical, and eco-friendly) modes of transportation; you only use your motor to tool around in harbors, and easily 80% of your time is spent utilizing one of the most renewable resources the planet has.

Bluebirds gone from the nest; so far we've put at least four back into the ecosystem this year. No sign of Monarch yet. Glade Mallow is almost out, while the Wild Bergamot is just starting to pop.

Cold this week with highs occasionaly only broaching the upper 60's; they say the coldest comparable week on record.

Young Eastern Bluebirds in bluebird house Saturday

Well, the Early Meadowrue is fading, the Glade Mallow is quickly going out, the Swamp Milkweed is in its prime, and the Butterfly weed is just starting to burst. Sad to say we haven't seen any Monarch caterpillars on our milkweed yet this year. Usually they hang around for weeks.

Also, save for the single Tree Frog, no frogs in the pond, though we weren't technically filled with water until mid-June. While we're getting a little rain, it's been extremely dry lately; White Bear Lake is said to be down over six feet.

Wildlife Spotted:

• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Canadian Goose
• Chipmunk, Eastern
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Eastern Bluebird
• Goldfinch
• Grey Squirrel
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Sandhill Crane
• Squirrel, Grey
• Turkey Vulture

Wildflowers in Bloom:

• Butterfly weed
• Glade Mallow
• Harebell
• Spiderwort
• Swamp Milkweed

Eastern Bluebird Hatchlings

Baby bluebirds this week! Counted five in the nest.

Swamp Milkweed in Bloom

Swamp Milkweed, Early Meadowrue, and Spiderwort just popped this week. As plants of the Milkweed family are the host plants of the Monarch Butterfly, and we have loads of Swamp Milkweed and Butterflyweed in the garden, hopefully we can count on some orange-banded visitors soon. Cherries on choke cherry tree.

Have seen several birds we don't normally spot at the feeder, including the Northern Cardinal and the Red-winged Blackbird.

90's up until the past few days we've had storms and 70's.

Natives in Bloom:

• Early Meadowrue
• Harebell
• Prairie Smoke
• Spiderwort
• Swamp Milkweed

Wildlife Spotted:

• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Canadian Goose
• Chipmunk, Eastern
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Eastern Bluebird
• Goldfinch
• Grackle
• Grey Squirrel
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Sandhill Crane
• Squirrel, Grey
• Turkey Vulture

5 Bluebird eggs in the house so far. Columbine have just gone to seed, while the Prairie Ninebark and False Indigo are starting to fade and the Swamp Milkweed are just about ready to pop. Hot and humid with temps in the 80's and 90's. Steady drizzle yesterday, but otherwise pretty dry.


Currently in Bloom:

• Canada Anemone
• False Indigo
• Harebell
• Prairie Ninebark
• Prairie Smoke
• Swamp Buttercup
• Wild Geranium
  

Wildlife Spotted:

• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Canadian Goose
• Chipmunk, Eastern
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Eastern Bluebird
• Goldfinch
• Grey Squirrel
• Loon
• Mallard Duck
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Sandhill Crane
• Spring Peeper
• Squirrel, Grey
• Turkey Vulture

Some pictures from this past week:

Bluebird nest spotted in the house yesterday. Two tiny blue eggs so far.

Mohican Viburnum

Columbine flower

Jacob's Ladder have been blooming for a few days now; Columbine and Mohican Viburnum just burst over the weekend.

Pond Stage 4


A Little Detail

Pond Garden Stage 4 is a go; so far I've covered about 28 square feet of overlayment covered in poultry wire (for reinforcement) and coated it with a mixture of cement, peat moss, the occasional rock or stone, and various decorations including sea shells and chunks of marble tile.

First ruby-throated Hummingbird of the year spotted buzzing about the Columbine. Add to that the first Baltimore Oriole seen in the Maple trees. Peepers not quite as prevalent as they were a few weeks back, but it may be due to the cold stint we've been having (frost in some areas last night). A male Eastern Bluebird has been hanging around the houses, but no nest yet. Red-shouldered hawk has been quite vocal for the last week.

Natives in Bloom:

• Canada Anemone


• Columbine


• Jacob's Ladder


• Rue Anemone


• Purple Pasque Flower

Wildlife Spotted:

• Baltimore Oriole


• Black-capped Chickadee


• Blue Jay


• Chipmunk, Eastern


• Chorus Frog


• Cottontail Rabbit


• Eastern Bluebird


• Goldfinch


• Grey Squirrel


• Loon


• Nuthatch


• Pileated Woodpecker


• Red-shouldered Hawk


• Red-winged Blackbird


• Ruby-throated Hummingbird


• Squirrel, Gray


• Turkey Vulture

Purple Pasque Flower

Rue Anemone

Rain and slightly cooler temps. The first Pasque Flower just popped up this week, and the first of the Rue Anemone are starting to unfurl their blossoms, and the leaves of the Rue Anemone are coming up in droves. Spring Peepers and Chorus Frogs quite loud lately. Have seen plenty of Sandhill Cranes and Redwinged Blackbirds, though the Bluebird houses are still empty. Would like to take a trip out to the Maplewood Nature Center perhaps early next week.

Pond Rework Stage 1


Have been reexcavating the pond lately. Got a few of the neighborhood kids involved in pulling off the dirt and tarps; have reexcavated the East basin to 3.5', have widened the stream, added plant shelves, and will be adding a bog section to the West basin. Would like to add some bullheads and other natives to the feeder goldfish this year; kids have even offered to donate crayfish and snails should they catch any.

Eventual plans include a third stream with waterfall and an underwater fishcam. A small de-icer and a solar-powered aerator should allow the fish to overwinter in some degree comfort. Did catch a few dragonfly nymphs and various other waterbugs; added them to the rain barrel for now; will be emptying that into the pond when it's done.

What's Blooming:

• Purple Pasque Flower
• Rue Anemone

Wildlife Spotted:

• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Chipmunk, Eastern
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Goldfinch
• Grey Squirrel
• Loon
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Spring Peeper
• Turkey Vulture

Prairie Smoke in full bloom

First Monarch Butterfly spotted. Tree Swallow seen in other nest. Unfortunately couldn't check for eggs or young as the mother was very ardent about us not opening it.

Saw a black-and-yellow dragonfly (believe it was a darner) hunting mosquitos near the pond, and a number of delicate light-blue damselflies in the tall grass.

Raided Bluebird nest

Opened the bluebird house to find each of the eggs penetrated with a jagged hole and swarming with ants and small flies. Classic sign of a House Sparrow raid. Sadly, while death is part of nature, this is not nature's way. House Sparrows are an invasive, non-native species, introduced (both intentionally and accidentally) by European immigrants.

While many birders use glue traps or even electricity, we can't stomach killing them, and have attempted more passive measures, such as controlling what we put in the feeders and pairing bluebird houses in the attempts to draw Tree Swallows, a native species that can coexist with the bluebirds, but often repel House Sparrows. Will have to try monofilaments to frighten them away the next time a Bluebird makes its home in the box.

If you ever see this in one of your bluebird houses (from what I've heard, it can be a lot more gruesome than this), clean the house out, and keep an eye on the house to make sure the House Sparrows do not move in. If House Sparrows do enter a nesting box, it is perfectly legal and advisable to remove the nest immediately.

Shooting Star, a perrenial favorite of many native gardeners, but a relatively new addition to our pond garden.

Chilly for late May. Highs in the 60's with lows in the 40's. Sprinkles this morning with the possibility of more thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.

The recent wet's been good for the garden. The first Columbine burst over the weekend, and has since exploded along the edge of the pond garden in bursts of red and yellow. Shooting Star's just started to bloom around the center of the garden. May divide it in the fall and start to cluster it right around the pond shore. Eggs in the Bluebird house are still unhatched, though I see the happy couple tendiing them constantly.

Garden Report:

What's Emerging:

• Brown-eyed Susan
• Butterfly Weed
• Early Meadowrue
• False Dragonhead
• False Indigo
• Fiddlehead Fern
• Harebell
• Monkeyflower
• Purple Coneflower
• Showy Goldenrod
• Swamp Milkweed
• False Solomon's Seal
• Starflower
• Tall Boneset
• Virgin's Bower
• Wild Bergamot
• Wild Grape
• Woodland Goldenrod
• Woodland Sunflower

What's in Bloom:

• Aborted Buttercup
• Columbine
• Hooked Violet
• Jacob's Ladder
• Mohican Viburnum
• Rue Anemone
• Shooting Star
• Swamp Buttercup
• Wild Geranium
• Yellow Violet

Wildlife Spotted:

• American Toad
• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Chorus Frog
• Crow, Common
• Eastern Bluebird
• Goldfinch
• Grackle, Common
• Gray Catbird
• Grey Squirrel
• Mallard Duck
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Purple Finch
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Robin, American
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Sandhill Crane
• Spring Peeper
• Tree Swallow
• Turkey Vulture
• Virginia Opossum
• Wild Turkey
• Wood Duck
• Wood Frog
• Yellow-rumped Warbler

Bluebird Eggs

Prairie Smoke

Counted five Eastern Bluebird eggs in the house this afternoon; that's three more than Wednesday's count. Plants are coming up in droves in the native garden; Prairie Smoke are about to pop, and Peepers can be heard sporadically throughout the day.

Mostly sunny today with a few bursts of rain and high wind in the late afternoon. Temps in the low 70's dipping down into the low 60's in the early evening.

Eastern Bluebird Eggs

A pair of Eastern Bluebird eggs in one bluebird house, and a pair of Tree Swallows scouting out the other. Put the first non-natives out today; a pair of dwarf cypress in pond pots, along with some fuschia and herbs in small pots placed among the granite cobbles, and put the Oriole and Hummingbird feeders in the garden. Began work on mesh for the fake rocks I intend to cover the pond liner and use as planters. Sunny today, temps in the upper 60s.

Video of a yellow jacket nest built under our garage eaves. These guys have been hoarding all over the Swamp Milkweed, Hummingbird, and Oriole Feeders.


Wildlife Spotted this Week:

• American Toad
• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Cedar Waxwing
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Eastern Bluebird
• Eastern Chipmunk
• Goldfinch
• Grackle
• Green Frog
• Grey Catbird
• Grey Squirrel
• Grey Tree Frog
• Lightning Bug
• Monarch Butterfly
• Monarch Caterpillar
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Red Admiral
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Robin
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Western Chorus Frog

Natives in Bloom:

• Bergamot
• Butterfly Weed
• Common Milkweed
• Daisy Fleabane
• Harebell
• Marsh Marigold
• Meadow Rue
• Spiderwort
• Swamp Milkweed

Other Phenology Notes:

• 4 bluebird chicks hatched in one of our houses; making a total of 7 this year.
• We've had two Bluebird couples and one Tree Swallow couple in our two bluebird houses this year.
• Highs in the 90s and overwhelming humidity that pushes the heat index into the 100's almost all this week.

Our first BMS video; some footage of newly-hatched Bluebird chicks, and a Ruby-throated hummingbird being harrassed by wasps at the feeder.

A shot of our first Wild Bergamot blossoms.