April 18-24 at Anson B. Nixon Park
The next nature walk at the park is Tuesday the 28th of April 9:30-10:30 AM Sign up here
JAck-in-the-Pulpit, Trout Lily seed capsules, Mayapple flower, Dandelion with bee, Western Honeybee visiting Jacobs Ladder, Buttercup
This mayapple has two flower bids, one at the juncture of the two leaf stems as you'd expect, and another growing from the stalk. Never seen this before.
Barbara's Mining Bee, Bee in the Nomad family, and another Nomad Bee in a dandelion for scale - they are very tiny, Eastern Yellowjacket (first wasp of the spring for me)
I know that bees may not be the most exciting subject for some, but I do find them endlessly fascinating (see The Bees at Nixon Park). Several different mining bees have been out in force, if you look for them on dandelions you will be sure to see them. You'll also see much smaller cuckoo or nomad bees that lay their eggs in the nests carefully prepared by miner bees.
Dryad's Saddle and Milk-white Toothed polypore
Bluebottle Fly, Cabbage White Butterfly, Box Elder Bug, Eastern-tailed Blue Butterfly
The tiny (wingspan of an inch or so) Eastern-tailed Blue Butterfly has interesting defense markings, the tails on the hindwing imitate antennas to confuse birds or jumping spiders who may lunge at what they think is the head of the butterfly allowing it to escape.
The first three photos are young Gray Squirrels who were browsing on the new shoots and leaves of a locust tree. A Red Squirrel with (you guessed it!) a black walnut.
Early spring basking spots fill up early as demonstrated by these Red-eared Sliders, Pond Sliders and Painted turtles. The next two are Eastern Musk turtles
Turkey Vulture, Tree Swallow, Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Catbird, Grackle, Kingfisher, Tree Swallows
Red-bellied Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Canada Goose sporting a bird band, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Song Sparrow
