Some pictures from this past week:

Prairie Ninebark, a native shrub, in bloom

Saw a Kildeer in Roseville this morning, picking through wrappers in a hotel parking lot. The last Kildeer I can remember seeing was years back in Stillwater. It was March or April, the snow had gone from all but the thickest stretches of the forest, and the ice had receded several feet out (still probably an inch or more thick in the middle), exposing a sandy shoreline littered with fish and waterborne insects that had been killed as the ice moved in. The kildeer was hopping along, here and there nabbing a dragonfly larva (fat and green, like a raw olive), or pecking at the ribs of a dead sunfish. It took off when it saw me, piping its distinguishing cry as it wheeled over the ice.

It's not the first time I've spotted what would typically be distinguised as rural wildlife in Minneapolis's very urbanized suburb. I remember once doing a double-take as what I thought was a dog ran along the train tracks that cross County Road C. It was a red fox with a cottontail rabbit in its mouth.

Four strawberries by last count between two plants. The last of the Wild Geranium went out of bloom last night, and the Harebell and Monkey Flower look just about ready to pop.

Blueberry Flowers seen in Linwood Community Park and School Forest

We took a walk Saturday evening (somewhat out of order here) in Linwood School Forest. Fat cumulus clouds of mosquitos drifting across the wetlands(a feast for the vocal Tree Frogs, American Toads, and Chorus Frogs), but the hills were less infested.

Sweet White Violets seen in Linwood Community Park and School Forest

Stands of blueberry and clusters of tiny Sweet White Violets seen from the boardwalk that crosses the bog near the middle of the park. St. Solomon's Seal blooming sporadically in the wetlands, while Wild Geraniums, interspersed by the occasional Columbine, Canada Anemone, Rue Anemone, or Wild Sasparilla could be seen in the hills. Flowers in this forest do not occur in the large clusters you'd see in William O'Brian or even Pine Point Park in Stillwater, but these forests are much more densely packed, and there's not nearly as much sun let in by the intrusion of hiking trails or bike paths.

Mohican Viburnum leaves and flower buds

Mohican Viburnum is a hardy native shrub that provides a welcome burst of color in the mid-spring and leathery, dark-green foliage that remain on the shrub's compact boughs well into summer. Some of the sources I've read say this foliage turns in autumn, but I have not seen this on the two I have. They are easy to grow, though they do like a bit of mulch to keep the moisture in, and are supposed to reach about 6' in ideal conditions. There are native gardeners out there who use them as hedges.

Mohican Viburnum provide flat-topped clusters of white flowers in mid-spring and red-orange berries in summer. I've seen bees and other pollinators tend the blossoms, but have never seen anything take the berries, so am not entirely sure of its wildlife value (couldn't find anything on Google or any of my field guides either).

Mohican Virburnum shrub

Tree frogs joined the chorus in the ponds and swamps yesterday; their occasional chatter-like chirp joining the piping of the Spring Peeper, the trill of the American Toad, and the strumming of the Chorus Frog.