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.

Spent Saturday up in Duluth. Went to see the USS Niagra and other ships at the maritime museum, but the above photo was about the closest I got. Line went half a mile back to the William H Irving, and the people who'd gotten 300 feet down the line told us they'd been there for more than three hours. Amazing exhibit, but too bad Duluth couldn't have arranged it so that everyone who bought a ticket had a chance to see the ships up close.

Garden Report:

Wildlife Spotted:

• American Toad


• Baltimore Oriole


• Black-capped Chickadee


• Blue Jay


• Chorus Frog


• Cottontail Rabbit


• Crow, Common


• Goldfinch


• Gray Catbird


• Gray Squirrel


• Green Frog


• Hairy Woodpecker


• Leapord Frog


• Mallard Duck


• Mourning Dove


• Northern Cardinal


• Nuthatch


• Pileated Woodpecker


• Red Squirrel


• Red-bellied Woodpecker


• Red-winged Blackbird


• Robin, American


• Rose-breasted Grosbeak


• Ruby-throated Hummingbird


• Sandhill Crane


• Tree Swallow


• Virginia Opossum


• Wood Frog

Wildflowers In Bloom:

• Butterfly weed


• Harebell


• Marsh Mallow


• Spiderwort


• Swamp Milkweed


• Woodland Sunflower

Monarch Butterfly on young White Pine.


Wild Bergamot are now in full bloom, attracting a small blouds of native and European bees, and a few Monarchs and unidentified skippers. They've really exploded over the last year, driving runners through the Showy Goldenrod, all but wiping out the Tall Boneset, and spreading into the gardening platforms behind the pond.

Plenty of Green Frogs and a Leapord Frog spotted in the pond; its real estate value seems to have gone up since we added the bog basin.

Monarch Caterpillar on Swamp Milkweed

First Monarch Caterpillars of the year spotted in the pond garden. Two of them spotted on Swamp Milkweed. Decided to leave them for the time being on their plants; will not move them to the enclosures unless they're being harrassed by wasps or other predators.

A pair of Green Frogs we rescued from the yard before a mowing.

Rescued a grand total of ten young toads and frogs (one American Frog, five Green Frogs, a Leapord Frog, and three Spring Peepers) from the lawn today, transplanting them to the pond before mowing. Went to Kinninatives yesterday, and was inspired by Wayne to turn one of our pond's feeder basins into a bog with some sedge and Skullcap. Also purchased some Glade Mallow and Purple Coneflower to feed the rabbit hordes that we've fenced out of the vegetable garden. Weather's been in the mid 80's with humidity pushing the heat index into the mid 90's. Torrential rain yesterday followed by periods of sun.



Butterfly weed in pond garden.

Summer flowers are really coming into bloom; Swamp Milkweed and Butterfly weed have been joined in the past week by Brown-eyed Susan and Purple Coneflower, and Wild Bergamot is spreading its first petals. Was surprised to hear the Loon's call several times this weekend. Thought they migrated further north by this point in the Summer.

Garden Report:

Wildlife Spotted:

• American Toad
• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Crow, Common
• Goldfinch
• Gray Catbird
• Gray Squirrel
• Green Frog
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Loon, Common
• Mallard Duck
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Squirrel
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Robin, American
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Sandhill Crane
• Tree Swallow
• Virginia Opossum
• Wood Frog

Wildflowers in Bloom:

• Brown-eyed Susan
• Butterfly weed
• Early Meadowrue
• Glade Mallow
• Harebell
• Leadplant
• Purple Coneflower
• Spiderwort
• Swamp Milkweed
• Wild Bergamot
• Woodland Sunflower

Both Swamp Milkweed and Butterfly Weed in full bloom. Found a Spotted Knapweed (non-native) growing in the garden. Planning to let it go until the flowers peter out as the bees and butterflies seem to love it. More monarchs recently, and more Green Frogs migrating to the pond.

Interestingly enough, saw a Red-bellied woodpecker on the silo feeder last night, hanging on to the cage and using his beak to bridge tha 4" gap like a long tweezers in an Operation game.

Weather's run the gammot lately; from lower seventies last week to nineties today.