seed pods

Northern Blue Flag Iris versicolor bloomed in June at the edge of the pond. Now, in July, seed pods have formed. When they are ripe, we'll sow the seeds.  These were only tiny foliage two years ago, and now they can propagate new flowering plants.
 

culver's root

Culver's Root Veronicastrum virginicum is found growing in wetlands and wet prairies.

The individual flowers are comprised of four fused petals up to a half an inch long. A main spike at the top of the plant is surrounded by several other spikes of flowers. The flowers bloom from the bottom of the spike up.  Culver's Root is not bothered much by leaf-chewing insects or mammalian herbivores. The seeds are too tiny to be of much interest to birds.  However, many varieties of insects visit the flowers to collect pollen or drink nectar. 

(above left)  Culver's Root just before it blooms.

(above right) A Black Wasp drinks nectar from the flowers while hunting for prey items; their bodies are covered in fine hairs that also collect pollen.

(below) A Bumble Bee with bulging pollen pockets stops for just a few more from this blooming Culvers Root.

merganser with 4 young

 

spider silk

Hot, foggy morning.  Dewpoint is high enough to form beads of water on each and every

strand of spider silk in this beautiful web.

 

large turtle, medium turtle, small turtle

mallard families

Female Mallard came out of the grasses with her 3 young ducks (upper right).  Then, another Mallard appeared with her 8 younger ducklings. They were all intent on eating duckweed and other aquatic plants growing in the pond.

nest box peek - Tree Swallows

 

On 5/20/2022 we peeked into the nest box, and found several eggs. Not countable, because of the feathers in the box meant to hide the eggs from predators. Since then I have peeked several times more.

The female adult was incubating the eggs.  I noticed the adults going in and out of the box on June 3 since  the eggs had hatched and they were bringing food to the hatchlings.  After two weeks in the box the nestlings had grown enough so they were full size and had gained some flight feathers.  On June 21 most young fledged out of the box, ready to learn how to fly and hunt for their own food: flying insects.

On June 22 the adults coaxed the last young bird to fly.  A few days later, we saw 3 of them perching on a branch looking over the pond.

painted turtle sunning among reeds

 

columbine

 

smooth penstemon

Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis (also called Smooth Penstemon) has white flowers that bloom for a month or longer.

The tubular flowers attract long-tongued bees such as bumblebees and mason bees, as well as hummingbirds. This is one of the plants we are trying to encourage in the riparian area around the pond. 

Good for pollinators!

iris

 

Northern Blue Flag 

Iris versicolor, is blooming 

again near the pond.

This year each plant seems stronger and more colorful with the background of grass green.

These grow near the green/white striped leaves of Sweet Flag (Acorus).

blackbird nest

The Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus gave away the secret location of their nest by screeching at us as we walked around the pond.  As I came near the spot, he warned me vocally and hit my hat with his feet as he flew by.

 

sora chicks

 

Described as "secretive" birds and rarely seen, we have a pair of Sora Porzana carolina living in the wetland around the pond.  I saw a lone egg a few days ago, and thought it was the start of a clutch. Today, this little black cotton-ball with orange/red tufts under his big beak appeared!  Soras start incubating eggs when they have only a few in the nest, and go on laying eggs (one a day) until they have around a dozen eggs. Consequently, each chick hatches on different day. One parent tends to the hatchlings and the other continues incubating the remaining eggs until each hatches.

arrowhead

 

trees

 
Flowers on Willow tree (above) and new cones on Tamarack tree (left).

plop!

 Hail falls on the pond with 'plop' sounds.

wildflowers blooming

 

pussytoes 6-1

Pussytoes Antennaria neglecta spreads as a groundcover, with basal leaves surviving through winter close to the ground.

In springtime, flowers emerge on tall stalks and look like toes on kittens. 

The lower surface of each basal leaf is silvery white with dense matted hairs; the upper surface is gray-green and woolly. In summer, the old basal leaves shrivel up and disintegrate, leaving the short plant and root to hide in the surrounding vegetation until next Spring.

early purple ivy blooms

These lovely purple flowers are loved by bees. The early blooms help feed insects before a lot of other flowers open. This 'ground ivy' has a long history of medicinal use. It is usually evergreen throughout winter if covered by snow. Part of the mint family of plants, it is also aromatic.  

Some lawn owners know it as a pest, and call it 
creeping charlie, gill-over-the-ground, alehoof, 
tunhoof, catsfoot, field balm, or run-away-robin.
I admire the shape and texture of the leaves, and 
used them in a botanical design project.

nest box peek

Peeking into the nest box . . . 

Tree Swallows lay eggs and 
disguise them by sticking feathers 
barb-down so the fluffy vanes curl over the contents of the nest.

In this photo, we can see a few white eggs among the soft grasses in the bottom of the nest box.
 

phoebe

Rainy cold day for flycatchers!  These two Eastern Phoebes Sayornis phoebe rested on the branch and spent several minutes to shake their feathers and preen feathers. Maybe they look bedraggled because they were hunting flying insects in wet weather. 

nectar and pollen

Before June, dandelion flowers are one of a few important food source for pollinators, providing both nectar and pollen for bumblebees and honey bees. Other various insects like beetles, hoverflies and butterflies use the nectar as food. Some birds eat the seeds. 

sora, master of disguise

My new favorite bird!  I just discovered the Sora Porzana carolina (a very secretive wetland bird) this Spring.  I watch a pair every day, hunting at the edge of the pond.  They think the mottled-pattern camouflage feathers makes them hard to spot.  But the bright yellow bill gives them away.   (see post on 4/24/2022)