A MAY WOODLAND, LAKE LOUISE STATE PARK - LEROY, MN

Spring Beauty.  A small (1/2 inch), but impressive wildflower.

Chestnut-sided Warbler-it was only about 9 ft. from me and gave me a good shot.

Bluebells

Buttercup

Forest fungi on old stump

Trillium

2 inch slug.  First we have seen this year-essentially a snail type without a shell.

May-Apple cluster, not blooming yet

Spring woodland forest floor

Greek Valerian

Wood Phlox  (no this photo is not out of focus-that is how they really look).

WILDFLOWERS & WARBLERS FORESTVILLE STATE PARK

Yellow Bellworts in Forestville State Park.  All of the wildflowers and Warblers posted today were photographed on Sunday May 18, 2014.  What a day to be alive.

Magnolia Warbler side view.  What a truly full color bird.

Close up of a mature Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Forestville.

Jack-in-the-Pulit, note that the lip flower curled over the head has not darkened to its full color yet.

The Jack-in-the-Pulpit on the left has not yet opened up its flower head.

Parula Warbler passing thru Forestville.

Parula Warbler-front view. TO SEE MORE WILDFLOWER AND NATURE PHOTOS GO UP AND TO THE RIGHT AND CLICK ON MAY 2014 OR ANY OTHER MONTH DESIRED.

Wood  Phlox.

Black & White Warbler, Forestville State Park.

Buttercup.  The small 1 inch flower of the buttercup always looks like it has had wax applied to the flower.

Redstart female, Forestville State Park.

Redstart male.  They will soon be nesting in Forestville.

Male Yellow-rumped Warbler. 

Trillium.  First one we have seen this year-more will soon come.

Marsh Marigold blooming is same seep as the Skunk Cabbage.

Spring seep with Skunk Cabbage leaves.  Most of the flowers of the Skunk Cabbage have rotted away and the leaves are all that is left.

BIRDS AND BLOOMS ON A GLORIOUS MAY DAY.

Redstart singing the praises of a May morning.

Bluebells, Forestville State Park.

Indigo Bunting at our feeder.  It out blues a Bluebird.

What a treat to see the colorful Chestnut sided Warbler.

False Rue Anemone.  The old floodplains of Forestville State Park are now a carpet of these small white flowers. 

Black and White Warbler.  They act like a nuthatch and feed on insects and insect eggs found on tree bark.

May Apples are up by the hundreds.

The small Tennessee Warbler actually challenged an Oriole for this orange.

A small insect eating Flycatcher in Forestville.

Hungry Oriole

We have a wave of Catbirds at our house today.

The male Goldfinches have reached full summer color.

Female Grosbeak

HUMMINGBIRDS ARRIVE IN MINNESOTA

The first male Hummingbird arrived at our place on May 5 this year.  Last years arrival date was May 6.  For the 14 previous years the hummers alway arrived between May 1 and May 4. The last two winters have indeed hung on too long.  We boil up 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water, cool the mixture, and use that as the nectar in the feeders (no need to add food coloring).  This works great for both Hummingbirds and Orioles.

ORIOLES ARRIVE IN GOOD NUMBERS

Northern Oriole (male) at our nectar feeder.

4 males and 1 female Northern Oriole at our feeder.  We feed cut oranges and grape jelly.  The orioles have a sweet beak.  We also have an oriole feeder that is similar to a hummingbird feeder, with the same nectar mix.  We have 9 Northern and 2 Orchard Orioles with us today, but that number will drop to one or two nesting here as the rest push northward.

Immature(1 year old) male Northern Oriole-note the head.

Orchard Oriole arrived May 7.  They are more of a brick-red color and a bit smaller than the Northern Oriole. Also less common.

Three Indigo Buntings arrive May 7.  They ground feed with our Goldfinches.  They out blue a Bluebird.

The male Goldfinches are now very yellow.  We have a flock of about 30 daily now.

Catbirds have arrived and are using their meow-like call.  They are great singers also-similar to Brown Thrasher.

NEW BIRDS ARRIVE ALMOST DAILY NOW

Many White-throated Sparrows here now-singing their very high pitched song.  They prefer brushy habitat.  They will soon move north.

Harris Sparrow.  Each year we have a few of these unusual sparrows that stop at our place on thier way to the northland. The sparrow family is quite varied.