THE FALSE RUE ANEMONE ARE NOW CARPETING THE LOWLAND FOREST WHITE

The Skunk Cabbage(large leaves) are about done blooming and the yellow Marsh Marigolds are now taking over the blooming job in the spring seeps of Forestville.

The Spring Beauty is a small woodland flower that prefers to bloom in short grass areas because of its small size. It is a flower that is often overlooked because it is only 2-3 inches tall-but it is truly a "spring beauty".

The Bluebells are just starting to bloom on old floodplains and in the lowland wooded areas.

The Dutchman's Breeches are now blooming on the south facing hillsides.

The buttercup is a small woodland flower with a yellow waxy flower that easily attracts polllinating insects.

The Wild Ginger has just started blooming on the steep hill sides of Forestville State Park. Often you have to lift up the Ginger leaves to see the flower.

The Eastern Towhees arrived today. They will find a nesting spot in the woods-edge habitat to raise their young. This bird has trouble surviving in towns because cats can easily catch Towhees.

Our Brown Thrashers showed up on April 17, 2011 which is just about average for this event. This robin sized bird loves scrubby/weedy areas and is a fantastic singer. Its song is a long series of chirps, whistles, and imitations of other birds and is hard to miss if the thrashers are present.

TO VIEW BETTER PICTURES AND HEAR THE SONGS OF THE BIRDS ON OUR BLOG CLICK ON THE MINNESOTA ORNITHOLOGY SITE LISTED IN BLUE UP ABOVE A LITTLE WAY.

MANY SPECIES OF SPARROWS ARE NOW ARRIVING IN S.E. MINNESOTA

These sparrow arrive April 16 here and they will stay a few weeks before heading north.

The Song Sparrows have been here since late March and they will stay to raise their young.

Fox Sparrow are migrating thru here now and will soon head farther north. They have a great song.

The Field Sparrow arrived at our place on April 16, 2011. They are a small grassland sparrow that summer here.

Field Sparrow(top) and Chipping Sparrow(bottom).

Feeders have been busy again since we had 5 inches of snow two days ago. This feeder has left to right female Purple Finch, House Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, male Purple Finch, and another House Sparrow.

Article on woodland wildflowers for the

Spring Valley Tribune(2 pages)

THE SPRING WOODLAND FLOWERS HAVE STARTED THEIR SHOW

Hepatica blooms in white purple and all shades in between. They seem to prefer south and west facing slopes to soak up the sunshine that they need to gather before the tree leaves shade them out.

This clump of Hepatica was on the Lower end of the Rock Slump trail in Forestville State Park. That trail which comes off of the Ravine trail is just spectacular for Hepatica of all colors.

Hepatica have hairy stems to consvere heat. They also have 3 leaved petels that usually lay on the ground and are often hard to spot.

The Bloodroot are Just beginning to bloom. There roots do contain a redddish compound that resembles the color of blood. The Bloodroot flower does not last long.

Skunk Cabbage are a unique wildflower. They are found only in what I call "seeps". This habitat is like a spring in a mud flats and Forestville State Park has many seeps and therefore many Skunk Cabbages. They are so called because they supposedly stink to attrack pollinators, but my nose can't seem to pick this up.

A good place to see Skunk Cabbage is on the Ravine trail in Forestville St. Park. The Ravine trail heads east from the Parking lot for Historic Forestville. The trail crosses a burned prairie and then heads into the forest. Aout 1/8 mile into the forest there is a culvert that goes under the trail. On the right side of the trail there is one Skunk Cabbage in bloom and many more in the spring seep which is just across the little stream to the south. If you continue up the steep Ravine trail and jump on to the Fern loop trail there are several great seeps and many more Skunk Cabbage at the far end of that trail.

The Sugar Hollow trail also has several seep not far off that trail.

The leaves of Skunk Cabbage look similar to tobacco or horseradish leaves and can get about 2 ft. tall.

The Fox Sparrows(note the rusty tail) are here on their way north.

The Sapsuckers are busy drilling holes in the maple outside the kitchen window. These holes provide both sap and attrack insects for the Sapsuckers.

The turtles are in almost every pond and stream soaking up the spring sunshine.