Prairie Phlox.  Hayden Prairie, west of Lime Springs , Iowa.

Trillium Forestville St. Park

Bluebells on old floodplain

Mayapple

Bellwort

Indigo Bunting

THE WOOD WARBLER HAVE ARRIVED

Black & white Warbler.  The warblers have arrive in S.E. Minnesota on their annual migration from the tropics to the north country to nest.  Most just pass through our area, but a few do nest here.  The warbler are a small but colorful family of birds that we look forward to seeing each year.  We have seen about 12 species so far and hope to see over 20 species before May is done.

Yellow-rumped warbler

Redstart

Nashville warbler

Tennessee warbler

Orange-crowned warbler

Yellow warbler

Baltimore Orioles arrive this afternoon and found the Grape jelly right away.

Catbirds arrive Thursday and also like the grape jelly.

Marsh Marigolds are blooming in the wet areas of Forestville St. Park.

Spring Beauty, one of the smallest of our woodland wildflowers, are just beginning their run.

The yellow Bloom of the Skunk Cabbage is can be seen in this photo.

Red Admiral butterfly.  The primary food source for the Red Admiral caterpillar are nettles.  No nettles no Red Admirals.  All plants in nature have seem to have a reason for their existence.

White-throated Sparrow.  The White-throats have arrived in really good numbers the last few days.  They will spend a week or two with us and then head up north to nest. They love brushy/weedy habitat and our place fits the bill as a good fueling stop.   Other arrivals this week at our place are:
Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Towhee, Wren, Brown Thrasher.  The Junco's and Fox Sparrows have all headed north.

White-crowned Sparrow.  Similar to the White-throat, but, at least at our place less common.  Will head north to nest.

Chipping Sparrow.  The Chipers have arrived in good numbers-they will nest at our place.

Humming bird, first of the year.  For 19 out of the last 21 years the Hummers have arrived at our place between May1 and May 4.  This one arrive today(May 2), right on time.  It is amazing that these tiny creatures fly thousands of miles to spend their summers with us in Minnesota.