First Weekend in May

There still isn't much happening on the gardening scene, but Spring wildflowers are in full bloom, the birds are returning and critters are starting to take advantage of sunny spots to warm up their winter weary bodies.  I spent Saturday the 3rd at Hidden Lake and Herrick Lake Forest Preserves checking out the wildlife and the wildflowers, then went to Greene Valley Forest Preserve on Sunday.  With over 50 Forest Preserves in DuPage County, I've just barely scratched the surface and fully itend to visit all of them before the year is over.

Let's start with the critters, then move on to the birds, followed by the flowers.  Here's the first amphibian that was willing to sit still long enough for me to get a photo, an American Toad.  I've seen its cousins in Arizona plenty of time, but they get quite a bit larger than this guy.

Anaxyrus (Bufo) americanus ssp americanus, American Toad

Coyotes, while evoking pictures of the American West, are now found from coast to coast.

Canus latrans, Coyote

Another common critter in the area is the Eastern Chipmunk and I saw several over the course of the weekend.

Tamias striatus, Eastrern Chipmunk

I was surprised that it was warm enough for the Chicago Garter Snakes to be out and about, but I saw two in a semi-swampy meadow within 30 feet of each other.  This is a new species for me.

Thamnophis sirtalis semifaciatus, Chicago Garter Snake

Six-spotted Tiger Beetles were rather numerous on the paths where the ground warmed up much faster than the surrounding forest.

Cicindela sexguttata, Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

This guy wouldn't let me get very close, so I had to use the telephoto mode on my camera to be this shot; if you know what it is, please let me know.

A butterfly I wasn't able to identify

I saw this little guy floating on a strand of silk and interupted his journey to get this photo.

Inch worm

This was one of several tent caterpillar colonies I saw over the weekend.

Tent caterpillar colony

I saw a number of millipedes on the path at Hidden Lake.

Millipede

Thius little scarab (1/4") was in the leaf litter on the forest floor next to a pond where I was trying to get a photo of Spring Peepers.  I didn't get the photo, but I at least saw a few as they jumped into the pond.

A scarab, unsure of species

I saw this interesting litlle fly on one of the dandelions that were everywhere and thought it would make for a more interesting photo than just the flower by itself.

Fly on a dandelion

After seeing lots, and I mean lots, of male Red-winged Blackbirds over the past month, I finally saw females this past weekend.

Agelaius phoeniceus, Red-winged Blackbird, female

While I didn't see them together, I did see both a female and a male cardinal.

Cardinalis cardinalis, American Cardinal, female

Cardinalis cardinalis, American Cardinal, male

This Veery was a new species for me and it landed on the path about 5 feet in front of me.

Catharus fuscescens, Veery

This blue jay was the only one that sat still long enough for a photo, which is a recurring issue with the birds aroud here.  It was sitting in a tree 40 feet above me an was oblivious to my presence.

Cyanocitta cristata, Blue Jay

This Rose-breasted Grosbeak was another new bird for me and was one of several I saw.

Pheucticus ludovicianus, Rose-breated Grosbeak

I finally managed to get a photo of a Downy Woodpecker, as they tend to hop about a lot, flitting from tree to tree.

Picoides pubescens, Downy Woodpecker

Another new bird for me, I was lucky enough to have one land on the path ahead of me while I already had the camera set up.

Setophaga palmarum, Palm Warbler

Yet another new bird for me, the American Goldfinch is quite a bit larger than the Lesser Goldfinches that I used to see outside my window every day back at Dove Manor.

Spinus tristis, American Goldfinch

It took me three trips before I finally was able to get a pictue of a Tree Swallow at rest, and it was worth it as their coloring is spectacular.

Tachycineta bicolor, Tree Swallow

The first time I saw these, I thought they were Bluebird houses, but once I saw a Tree Swallow fly into one, I realized my error.

Tree Swallow Nesting Box

The last of the new species for me, this guy took me on quite a ride before I finally got this photo.

Mniotilta varia, Black-and-white Warbler

Wildflowers are really coming into their own and I wasn't disappointed by the variety of species that were in bloom.  Even though I'd never seen one in the wild, I immediately knew what this was, some of the others took me longer to identify.

Arisaema triphyllum, Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Barbarea vulgaris arcuata, Yellow Rocket

Claytonia virginica, Spring Beauty

Dentaria laciniata, Cutleaf Toothwort

Epimedium species

Fragaria virginiana, Wild Strawberry

Isopyrum biternatum, False Rue Anemone

Malus species, Crabapple

Ranunculus repens, Creeping Buttercup

Trillium recurvatum recurvatum, Prairie Trillium

Vinca minor, Lesser Periwinkle

Viola pubescens, Downy Yellow Violet

viola species

moss flower buds

April Update

Since my last post a lot has happened, I've been back to Mesa for Easter weekend, I've added some plants to my collection in Lisle, and I've been out taking in the sights offered in the surrounding forest preserves. Let's start with my trip back to Dove Manor, where despite my absence and some benevolent neglect, all of the plants survived.  After spending the day after Easter working on the yard, mowing, weeding and watering, I made sure that both my wife and son understood what needed to be done in terms of watering and what was to be left exactly as it was.  I also trimmed the grapevines and tied them up to new wire supports that I strung between the poles.  The wire replaced the twine that I used last year, as it had rotted away in the sun.  The lemon tree is loaded with fruit and still blooming away; the grapes are loaded with new bunches, the Anna and Ein Shemer apples have fruit, there are even a couple of nectarines and peaches and the Boysenberries look like they'll produce the first crop this year.

Eureka lemons already the size of supermarket lemons, with 8-9 months before they'll be ripe.

New Red Flame Seedless grapes on the vine

Anna apples

Babcock peaches

The first Boysenberry

The flowers that are blooming look great, but the irises and glads have failed to bloom yet and the Siberian Iris bloomed while I was gone.  

Climbing America is blooming profusely

Climbing Don Juan is also blooming well and also producing rose hips

Despite not getting enough water, the red double hollyhocks are in bloom

Both red and blue salvias are blooming profusely, as they are fairly drought tolerant

One of the plumerias has an inflorescence that should bloom soon

The birds have already been feasting on some of the sunflowers

The wild sunflower seeds I collected last year has produced spectacular results

Even some of the succulents have gotten into the act, with Haworthia cymbiformis and Euphorbia ferox blooming and Euphorbia obesa producing seed pods.

Haworthia cymbiformis inflorescence

Euphorbia ferox flowers

The mason bee condo has been an unparalleled success, with dozens of them filling the open "apartments" with pollen balls and eggs. I expect 25% of the available spaces will be filled by the end of the season.

Mason bee loaded with pollen to feed its larvae when the eggs hatch

Bee getting ready to lay eggs.

The mason bees aren't the only ones that have been busy, as leaf cutter bees have been cutting the rose leaves, which seem to be one of their favorites.  I'm pretty sure they're also using the bee condo.

Leaf cutter bees leave tale tell semi-circular cuts in the rose leaves.  If you look closely, you can see a lacewing in the center of the photo.

The elephant ear has sprouted and should be quite a showpiece in a few months

Things have been a real roller coaster here in Lisle, with snow as late as the 14th of this month, lots of rain and the occasional rainy day.  The only seeds that have sprouted so far are the radishes, but I suppose that's to be expected, since highs have been mostly in the low 50's.  Despite the lack of flowers on the balcony, there are still plenty to be seen out and about.

Viola sagittata, Arrow-leafed violet

Tulip

Lamium purpureum, Purple Dead Nettle

Glechoma hederacea, Ground Ivy

Erythronium albidum, White Trout Lily

Daffodil

Fruit tree blooming on the edge of the forest

Water lily pads

Orange seeds sprouting

Dwarf Japanese Red Maple, future bonsai

There have also been lots of fauna, including birds, butterflies and reptiles.  Yesterday I saw a garter snake and a mud turtle, but was unable to get a photo of either of them.

Ardea alba, Great Egret

Butorides virescens, Green Heron

Charadrius vociferus, Killdeer

Hydroprogne caspia, Caspian Tern

Melanerpes carolinus, Red-bellied Woodpecker

Quiscalus quiscula, Common Grackle

Tringa melanoleuca, Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa solitaria, Solitary Sandpiper