Wild Wild Woods

The painted turtles who live in the pond love to sit in the sun, especially on rocks near the water. There, each can enjoy the warmth and (i...

Mallard female has been hiding her second clutch of eggs near the pond among grasses.  Today she led all 6 hatched ducklings to the pond, wh...

 

Scouring Rush Equisetum hyemale grows in the wetland around the pond.  It is also called 'horsetail'. This plant's ancestors ha...

  Now, in June, the typical insects are laying their eggs in the goldenrod stems.  The eggs will hatch larvae who will feed and grow inside ...

This dragonfly male 'Widow Skimmer' Libellula luctuosa shows off his handsome transparent wings with black and white structural col...

Mallards have 1 or 2 broods each year.  One is hiding her 2nd clutch near the pond among grasses. There are six eggs in her nest, nestled am...

Stealthily, this Great Blue Heron appeared on the shore this afternoon.  It stood still for only a little while, looking for prey; they eat ...

A creeping plant that was used in the past as erosion control on embankments and roadsides, Crown Vetch Securigera varia  is sprinkled among...

  Several Mullein plants are growing in the riparian zone around the pond. The plants are small rosettes of fuzzy leaves, close to the groun...

This bird is at it again!  The Green Heron visits the pond several times a week during this hot season.  They are year-around residents of F...

I was admiring the daisies.  A Squash Bug was also admiring it, close up!  

Two large darner dragonflies hovered on pondweed growing in the water. Each dragonfly is over 3 inches long, and more brilliant blue and gre...

A Canada Goose family had lunch on the pond today. The adults, one in front and one behind, led the 5 young goslings to find food.  The youn...

Small wildflowers grow in the riparian area surrounding the pond. Some are invisible to the casual observer because of their small stature, ...

Iris versicolor , the Northern Blue Flag, is blooming near the pond.  It does not mind having its 'feet' wet and often grows in a fe...

White Campion Silene latifolia is blooming now. 

Robins nesting by the pond have 4 eggs in their nest.  The female gathered food items on the shore while taking a break from incubating her ...

Wildflowers are blooming in the pond area.  Zizia aurea  Golden Alexanders feed bees, wasps, flies, and beetles with pollen and nectar.  The...

This is the first time we've seen a Green Heron this year.  Last year, posts on this blog showed the Butorides virescens several times ...

Today the Hooded Merganser female showed up on the pond with 15 ducklings.  This species nests in a cavity, probably in a tree or stump near...

 Mallard drake wants to keep an eye on his family.

On Friday, we noticed a blob of brown on a drooping branch on one the pine trees near the pond.  Close inspection revealed hundreds of Honey...

Today the convivial Merganser shared the favored rock in the pond with a turtle. The Hooded Mergansers   Lophodytes cucullatus  have visited...