2017 Crook Street Highlights

Two January images just to set the stage.

04-02-17. Spring Cress, Caramine rhomboidea, thinking about blooming.

4-09-17. Trout Lily, Erythronium americanum.

04-30-17. White Violets, Viola striata. There are several patches in the Floodplain.

4-26-17. First frog that posed for me. I missed the usual March Woodfrog orgy, although I heard them.

05-24-17. Uroleucon Aphids. Striking brilliant crimson!

05-27-17. Teneral Female Common Whitetail, Plathemis lydia, showing just the start of the usual wing patterns.

06-01-17. Swamp Spreadwing Male.

06-01-17. Common Whitetail, Plathemis lydia, which, true to its name, is very common.

06-08-17. Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis, is present, but not common.

7-06-17. Cup Plant Flowers, Silphium perfoliatum.

070817. Ruby Meadowhawk, Sympetrum rubicundulum.

07-20-17. Widow Skimmer, Libellula luctuosa.

7-17-17. Early Sunflower.

07-24-17. Swamp Milkweed.

04-02-17. This is Harbinger of Spring, Eriginia bulbosa. It has probably been there for years, but this is the first time I noticed it. Not very conspicuous,

04-09-17. A week later, Spring Cress is in full bloom.

04-30-17. Fleabane, Erigernon sp.

5-23-17. Dame's Rocket, Hesperis matronalis. Not a native, but what I call a "polite" invasive. It co-exists peacefully with native plants. First time I have seen this at CSW.

5-21-17. Painted Skimmer, Libellula semifasciata. This species seems to visit on a regular basis, but there is no evidence of them breeding at CSW.

5-27-17. Mama Wood Duck had 5 ducklings at this point. 4 of them headed for the weeds when they spotted me, She had to go out and round this one up.

06-01-17. Ebony Jewelwing, Calopterix maculata. Usually present in small numbers in several places. Probably my favorite.

06-04-17. Twelve Spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella.

07-05-17. Orange Hawkweed, Hieracium aurantiacum, with small bee.

07-06-17. Blue-Fronted Dancer, Argia apicalis. I did not see as many Dancers as in prior years.

7-08-17. Canada Lily, Lilium canadense . There is only one patch of these that I have ever found here. It is located in the flood plain in a pretty obscure area. It's a challenge to find it every year.

07-20-17. Eastern Pondhawk, Erythemis simplicicollis.

Young Flicker. There seemed to be several pairs of Flickers nesting this year.

7-24-17. Seedbox Flower, Ludwigia alternifolia.

2-21-17 Last year's oriole nest. Very visible with no leaves on the trees. Wonder where she got the blue fiber.

04-02-17. Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, checking out the newfangled bluebird box.

04-09-17. White Trout Lily, Erythronium albidum, found only on the floodplain.

04-26-17. Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum.

05-23-17. Wild Blackberry blossoms complete with beetle.

05-29-17. Clear shot of Eastern Forktails, Ishnura verticalis, in breeding wheel.

05-27-17. End of May green.

06-01-17. Dot-tailed Whiteface, Leuchorrinia intacta. An early species that has been increasing here in the last 5 years or so.

06-03-17. Female Common Whitetail from underneath.

07-05-17. Virginia Ctenucha Moth, Ctenucha virginica.

070617. Juvenile Eastern Bluebird. Fledged from one of the Bluebird boxes?

This Katydid found the Canada Lily, also.

Wild Bergamot flower, Monarda fistulosa. This was a new observation this year.

07-24-17. Winged-loosestrife, Lythrum alatum.

This pair of Trumpeter Swans showed up mid February and hung around for several weeks. We thought maybe they would nest, but they didn't. First time for swans.

04-02-17. Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis, checking out the boxes from a distance.

04-30. Eastern Forktail., Ishnura verticalis. Always one of the earliest Damsels or Dragons.

4-26-17. This mature Blue Dasher, Pachydiplas longipennis, was remarkable for being 4-6 weeks earlier than usual. I only saw the one and only saw him once.

5-23-17. One of the Wood Sorrels, Oxalis sp. A lovely little thing.

05-29-17. Patch of Field Hawkweed, Hieracium caespitosum, with a few ringers.

05-26-17. Silver-Spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus, the most common skipper here.

06-01-17. Eastern Comma Butterfly, Polygonia comma.

This is the first time I noticed this sole Catalpa Tree on the edge of the woods. Probably wouldn't have at all, if it hadn't been in bloom. Another new one.

This is a closeup of the flower of a wild onion. Very tiny and easily overlooked.

07-08-17. Viceroy, Limenitis archippus.

07-08-17. Autumn Meadowhawk female, Sympetrum vicinum.

7-20-17. Michigan Lily, Lilium michiganense. This species has been spreading since it first appeared with one plant several years ago. It is now in many places.

7-24-17. Jerusalem Artichoke flower.

04-02-17. Beginning of April and the early wildflowers start blooming. Spring Beauties, Claytonia virginica, here.

04-07-17. This is a long story. This Kildeer has had her nest in the same place in the gravel at the entrance for several years now. On April 7, we had a late and rather heavy snow. I stopped to check on her, among other things, and didn't see her. As I turned away, rather sad, here she came, and settled herself in the snow to take care of her eggs!

4-30-17. By the end of April, several species of violets are blooming.

04-26-17. Golden Ragwort, Senecio aureus, was a plentiful floodplain flower .

05-23-17. Nice fresh looking Mourning Cloak, Nymphalis antiopa.

05-27-17. Closeup of one Field Hawkweed.

05-26-17. Zabulon Skipper, Poanes zabulon.

06-01-17. Patch of Daisies, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum.

06-08-17. Bur-Reed, Sparganium sp, grows abundantly on the edges of the wet areas

07-02-17. Halloween Pennant, Celithemis eponina .

07-08-17. St. John's Wort, Hypericon perfolatum.

07-20-17. Sweetflag Spreadwing female.

I have always loved the way the petals curl up behind the flower.

07-24-17. Blue Vervain, Verbena hastata.