Bumblebees

How to keep Bumblebees coming back. 

 

Bald-faced Hornet's Nest

This is the hornet's nest last summer.

Bald-faced hornets on the nest. 

These honeycombs are in a spiral shape.

The two parts of the nest.

Paper cover on outside fell off, then comb fell.

This nest was behind the bench still intact in December.

Phil and Joan cutting it down.  

Birds Drilling Nesting Holes

Shavings from nuthatch drilling holes in tree below. 

Freshly drilled holes.

Saw a woodpecker last week pecking on this tall stump.

Several fresh holes here.

Douglas Squirrel

Watched this cute little Douglas squirrel playing on the logs at Slocum's. 

Squirrel Visits

This squirrel visits often to enjoy the sunflower seeds.

Squirrel on the Sunflowers

This squirrel climbs into this sunflower plant.

It has been here a couple of days.

Hawk in the Preserve

I saw this hawk stalking a small squirrel up and down this tree.

The squirrel stayed just out of reach and the hawk finally left. 

More Fall Colors in the Preserve

Love the fall colors with the deep blue sky. 

 

Deer

Five deer crossed the sidewalk at the Villages and went up this hill. 

Flock of Goldfinches on the Flower Seeds.

This was so much fun to watch. 

 

Birds Eating Liatris Seeds

I love seeing birds on these flower seeds. 

Leaves are Starting to Turn Colors.

Two maples out front are red. 

Most are still green.

In the preserve, color has started.

Burrowing Under the Shed

 

We don't know what is burrowing under the shed. 

We blocked the holes but no sign of more digging. 

Goldfinches on my Sunflowers

I love to see the goldfinches checking out the sunflowers.  

Wasp Nest in the Preserve

This nest is beautiful.

Wasps going in an out. 

 

Birds in My Garden

Goldfinches love the fountain.

Junior goldfinches dance around it but won't land.

They are eating the sunflowers. 

 

Deer Today

Five crossing the construction area. 

Mama, 2 yearlings and 2 fawns, one fawn went ahead of group. 

Wildflowers-Yarrow

This is a drought-tolerant wildflower.

Yellow-yarrow or golden-yarrow is a stiff, mounded, shrub-like plant, 8-20 in. high, with many erect, herbaceous branches and very finely divided, gray-green leaves. Small, deep-yellow flowers gather together in yarrow-like clusters.

There are several clusters of these in the preserve. 

Other Wildflowers in 2022

Lots of native daisies. Noxious Weed

Leontodon saxatilis - noxious weed

Queen Ann's Lace.

Tall butter weed, tansy lookalike.

Hooded Lady's Tresses.

Leontodon saxatilis

New Wildflower - Spiranthes Romanzoffiana - Hooded Lady's Tresses

Spiranthes romanzoffiana also known as hooded lady's-tresses.

It is in the orchid family.

In the preserve by the bench at the blue dot on the map.

Probably have found about 15 or more this year.

They are mostly on the north side of the park. 

Spiranthes romanzoffiana - Hooded Ladies' Tresses

Stem erect, with dense spike of flowers. Basal leaves to 5 in. long; stem leaves reduced to bracts. Flowers pure white, in 3 precise rows, twisting as they spire upward. Flower with upper petals and sepals fused into inflated hood; lower petal violin-shaped, extending down and back toward stem, tip hairless. Grows in wet places, along streams, bogs, marshes, in prairies and meadows, in all elevations to timberline.

Rarity: Uncommon

Flowering Time: Mid Summer

Life Cycle: Perennial

Height: 8--24 inches

Habitat: Meadow, West-Side Forest, Subalpine, Bog/Fen/Wetland, Coastal

Native: Yes

Zebra Dragonfly

I see zebra dragonflies in the preserve and in my garden.

They have been too fast for me to get pictures. 

 

Cucumber Vine

These are cucumber vine fruit in the preserve.

They are native and not invasive but will damage trees if they climb them. 

Brodiaea

There are still a number of brodiaea bunches in the preserve. 

The early ones have faded but more are appearing. 

Young Buck and Doe

The yearling doe and buck crossed my path this morning. 

I had not seen them in a while. 

Brodiaea Everywhere

I am finding brodiaea along almost every path in the preserve. 

 

Tansy Ragwort

 

This tansy ragwort is a noxious weed blooming in the preserve.