Birds: catbird, goldfinch, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, indigo bunting.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs.

Birds: goldfinch, black capped chickadee, downy wp, hairy wp, house finch, robin, cardinal, nuthatch, Baltimore oriole, pileated wp, indigo bunting.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, tiger swallowtail, black phase tiger swallowtail, monarch, Pennsylvania leatherwing beetle, woodchuck.

Birds: pileated wp, housefinch, chickadee, hairy wp, downy wp, nuthatch, goldfinch, cardinal, indigo bunting, peewee, blue jay.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, green tree frog on jewelweed, gray tree frog, tiger swallowtail, eastern tailed blue.

Notes: A visitor noticed a dead mink, run over near Wirth Lake.

Birds: great crested flycatcher, ruby throated hummingbird, indigo bunting, downy wp, hairy wp, red bellied wp, common yellowthroat, cardinal, blue jay, goldfinch, peewee, wren, grosbeak, house finch, chickadee, nuthatch, chimney swift, purple finch, outside garden: flicker, green heron, wood duck, mallard, phoebe, catbird, robins, grosbeak, peewee, mourning dove, oriole, swamp sparrow.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, mink, tree frogs, tiger swallowtail, monarch, green darner, damselfly, cicadas.

Notes: found snail along skunk cabbage still alive, treefrog with butterfly on nose!

Birds: goldfinch, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, chickadees, house finch, indigo bunting, robins, great crested flycatcher, peewee.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, two mink at station 33, woodchuck, monarchs, green darners, white faced meadowhawk, spring azures, cabbage butterflies, tiger swallowtail.

Birds: pileated woodpecker, chickadees, downy woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, cabbage butterflies.

Birds: pileated woodpecker, chickadees, downy woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, cabbage butterflies.

Birds: indigo bunting, robins, chickadee, nuthatches.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks.

Birds: chickadee, downy woodpecker, cardinal.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks.

Notes: hot today, 101 degrees, closed the Garden early.

Birds: pileated woodpecker, hairy and downy woodpeckers, flicker, oriole, chickadee, blue jay, house finch, great crested flycatcher, peewee, indigo bunting.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs, tiger swallowtail, eastern tailed blue butterfly, European skipper butterfly, white banded moth, red admiral butterfly.

Notes: dried fox scat on prairie trail, mink scat along hill up to prairie, saw aggressive red squirrel chasing a grey squirrel away from what looked like a mushroom source.

Birds: eastern wood peewee, great crested flycatcher, chipping sparrow, house finch, downy and hairy woodpecker, house wren, cardinal, indigo bunting, goldfinch, blue jay, ruby throated hummingbird, chickadee, pileated woodpecker, northern flicker. Outside back gate: common yellowthroat, grey catbird, flickers, cedar waxwings, green herons, phoebe, least flycatcher, mourning dove, wood ducks, red wing blackbirds.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs, tiger swallowtails, monarchs, cabbage butterflies, white faced meadowhawk dragonfly, blue dasher dragonfly, green darner dragonfly, spreadwing damselfly.

Birds: indigo bunting, pileated woodpecker, chickadee, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, cardinal, common nighthawk, peewee, great crested flycatcher, mourning dove, green heron, red wing blackbird, wood ducks, robins, goldfinches, eastern kingbird, brown headed blackbird.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs, tiger swallowtails, monarchs, cabbage butterflies.

Birds: eastern wood peewee, chickadee, nuthatch, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, blue jay, common yellowthroat, great crested flycatcher, nighthawks, chimney swift, house wren, indigo bunting, northern flicker, robin, barred owl, cooper's hawk, goldfinch, house finch, outside back gate: green herons, blue winged teal, mallards, wood ducks, red winged blackbird, grey catbird, eastern phoebe, cedar waxwings, crow.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs, eyed brown butterfly, swallowtail, monarch, spring azure butterfly.

Birds: pileated woodpecker, chickadees, house finch, robins, cardinals, heard barred owl,

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs, fireflies.

Notes: On the New Moon walk, we watched a storm advancing, with a huge thunderhead and lightening illuminating its interior. We also saw a few fireflies, and heard lots of crickets.

Birds: cardinal, chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, house finch, nuthatch, blue jay, cooper's hawk, great crested flycatchers, robins, flickers, house wren, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting, chimney swift, barn swallow, goldfinch, eastern wood peewee, common yellowthroat, nighthawks, outside back gate: phoebe, red winged blackbirds, blue winged teals, wood ducks, green herons.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs, toad, monarch, crickets.

Notes: A drenching storm with continuous thunder and not much wind. Is the drought over? Mushrooms popping up all over. Five nighthawks were flying low over the prairie, hawking insects and soaring on their long pointed wings. Water droplets sparkled jewel-like on the ferny asparagus and tamarack boughs.

Birds: pileated woodpeckers, ruby throated hummingbirds, chickadees, nuthatch, goldfinch, indigo buntings.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, grey tree frogs, toad, tiger swallowtail, cabbage butterfly, monarch, eastern tailed blue butterfly, white faced meadowhawk dragonfly,

Notes: watched two pileated woodpeckers companionably pecking a dead tree. One cut away a pretty big chunk, but they both seemed to be finding some tasty food in there.

Birds: chickadee, red bellied woodpecker, yellow shafted flicker, goldfinch, eastern wood peewee, common yellowthroat, blue jay, house finch, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, cardinal, phoebe, goldfinch, ruby throated hummingbird, indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, nuthatch, robins, starlings, barred owl. Outside back gate: cooper's hawk, green heron, hangbird, phoebe, wood uck, mallard, catbird, goldfinch, mourning dove, chimney swift, common yellow throat, red eyed vireo, grackle, red winged blackbirds.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, fox, very small garter snake, small toad, grey tree frogs, butterflies: cabbage white, monarch, tiger swallowtail, red admiral, unknown skipper, great spangled fritillary, mourning cloak, green darner dragonfly, eastern forktail damselfly.

Notes: Healthy looking young fox emerged from the wetland, trotted along the trail, yawning, calmly veered off the trail, up the hill. I watched it sniff around and hunt in the underbrush for awhile until it disappeared behind some trees. A green grey tree frog posed for pictures down at station 26, nestled into and perfectly camouflaged on a leaf. It was still there hours later. Some young visitors clued us into a very cool discovery – grey tree frogs love to sit in the metal bracings behind the numbered station markers. A survey found frogs in numbers 3, 13, 14, 16, 20, 28, and 45.

Birds: blue jay, house finch, red eyed vireo, hairy woodpecker, eastern wood peewee.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, tiger swallowtail, monarch, widow skimmer dragonfly.

Birds: house finch, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, chickadee, two green herons, song sparrows, goldfinch, red winged blackbirds.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, monarch, white admiral butterfly, twelve spotted dragonfly, common whitetail dragonfly, eastern forktail damselfy.

Notes: saw a squirrel has laid out a gooseberry buffet along a mossy log.

Birds: red eyed vireo, goldfinch, indigo bunting, robins, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpecker, flicker, blue jay, chickadee, nuthatch, orioles, red bellied woodpeckers, crow, cardinal, eastern wood peewee, great crested flycatcher, common yellowthroat, barred owl.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, tiger swallowtail, spring azure, red admiral, monarch, silver spotted skipper. Dragonflies: green darner, widow skimmer.

Notes: The garden is full of young robins. They have speckled breasts and are a bit more conspicuous.

Birds: sharp shinned hawk, two pileated woodpeckers, goldfinch, nuthatch, chickadee, jay.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, monarchs, tiger swallowtails.

Notes: watched the sharp shined hawk on a nearby perch at the shelter. I dove down to the bird bath where it doused itself several times. Standing by the porch, I look closely at its red red, black tipped back, and little yellow legs. So neat to watch and then before you know it, he/she took off! That's why we keep the bird baths full!

Birds: hairy woodpecker, chickadees, house finch, nuthatch, downy woodpecker, cardinal, indigo bunting, common yellowthroat, scarlet tanager, great crested flycatcher, red eyed vireo.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, widow skimmer dragonfly, monarch, silver spotted skipper butterfly, spring azure.

Notes: culver's root tips are drooping in the heat. The plum tree was full of chickadees eating insects off its leaves. They hung upside down and every which way, chattering softly, and seemed completely nonplussed by the watching naturalist just a few inches away!

Birds: hairy woodpecker, chickadees, downy woodpecker, blue jays, indigo bunting, pileated woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, great spangled fritillary, tiger swallowtail, monarch, eastern tailed blue cabbage butterfly. 12 spotted dragonfly, green darner dragonfly.

Notes: Muggy, overcast, stormed last night.

Birds: blue grey gnatcatcher, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting, ruby throated hummingbird, eastern wood peewee, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, chickadees, nuthatch, robins, great crested flycatcher, house finch, red eyed vireo, cardinal. Outside back gate: scarlet tanager, oriole with fledglings, catbird, common yellowthroat, tree swallow, flicker, red winged blackbird with fledglings, sood ducks, song sparrows, green heron, mourning dove, tree swallow, common grackle and fledglings.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, mink with mouse in mouth. Butterflies: monarch, tiger swallowtail, spring azure, silver spotted skipper. virginia tiger moth. Dragonflies: meadow hawk, green darner, common whitetail, widow skimmer.

Notes: Hot. A hot humid day, too hot even to visit a wildflower garden. Everyone is at the beach maybe! I know I would be. Arrowhead leaves try to poke out of the wetland marsh of overgrown horsetail and reed canary grass.

Birds: indigo bunting, blue jay, downy woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, mink, woodchuck, butterflies: tiger swallowtail, eastner tailed blue, silver spotted skipper. Dragonflies: white faced meadowhawk, common whitetail, eastern pondhawk.

Notes: A juvenile seeming mink tried to stare me down on the marsh trail.

Birds: hairy woodpecker, chickadees, cardinals, common yellowthroat, ruby throated hummingbird, goldfinch, pileated woodpecker, great crested flycatcher, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, common whitetail dragonfly, white footed mouse.

Birds: indigo bunting, red eyed vireo, great crested flycatcher, eastern wood peewee, ruby throated hummingbird, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, house finch, blue jay, chickadee, white breasted nuthatch, cardinal, scarlet tanager, goldfinch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, butterflies: monarch, painted lady, silver spotted skipper, little wood satyr, banded hairstreak, eastern tailed blue. Dragonflies: eastern pondhawk, widow skimmer, twelve spotted skimmer, amberwing. Bluet damselfly.

Notes: Watched an eastern pondhawk chow down on a hornet/wasp almost half its size – it (wisely) was eating it head first, and looked like it would be set for the afternoon foodwise. Red bellied woodpecker babes are out, pleading for food from their parents as they follow them around. Aside from their noisiness, young ones have redless heads. Also keep an eye out for young downies and hairies, their red patches are in the front, not the back of the head like adults.

Birds: pileated woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, chickadees, goldfinches, robins, great crested flycatcher, downy woodpecker, house finch,

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, dogbane beetles, tiger swallowtail, monarch, eastern tailed blue, mosquitoes.

Birds: black capped chickadee, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, Baltimore oriole, cardinal, house finch, catbird, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, northern flicker, great crested flycatcher, red eyed vireo, chimney swift, tree swallow, scarlet tanager, robin, blue jay, peewee, indigo bunting, common yellowthroat.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, dogbane beetles, monarchs, eastern tailed blue, eyed brown, eastern comma, gray comma, spring azure. Dragonflies: widow skimmer, twelve spotted skimmer, white faced meadowhawk, common whitetail, Mosquitoes!

Notes: The prairie is looking so spectacular. The tall elegant stalks of culver's root, the striking shape and color of the turk's cap lily and the deep purple leadplant are three of my favorites. There are more baby birds out and about. The red bellieds up in the prairie have fledged and there is the funniest house finch that sits at the feeder with its papa and cries to be fed. It has two tufts of down that stick up on its head and look almost like horns.

Birds: wood ducks, great crested flycatcher, chickadees.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, painted turtles, great spangled fritillary butterfly.

Notes: There is a female cardinal regularly visiting the feeder. She seems to have kind of a scruffy mohawk. It makes her look kind of tough.

Birds: indigo bunting, great crested flycatcher, cardinal, chickadee, hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, eastern wood peewee, chimney sift, house finch, downy woodpecker, blue jay, ruby throated hummingbird, scarlet tanager, white breasted nuthatch, robins, common yellowthroat, red eyed vireo, great egret, tree swallows. Outside back gate: sparrow, flickers, warbling vireo, song sparrow, swamp sparrow, wood ducks with some young, oriole, phoebe, mourning dove, great blue heron, downy woodpecker, gold finches, catbird, green backed heron, red winged blackbirds, robins, common yellowthroat, starling, rough winged swallow, tree swallow, crows, grey catbird, barn swallow, cedar waxwings.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, house cat. Dragonflies: widow skimmer, twelve spotted skimmer, green darner, white faced meadowhawk, Butterflies, eastern tailed blue, silver spotted skipper, monarch, cabbage white, great spangled fritillary, mourning cloak, eastern comma, spring azure, hackberry, northern eyed brown, European skippe .

Notes: The inky caps dissolved into ink!

Birds: chickadees, goldfinch, cardinal, robins, peewee, hairy woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks.

Notes: Defying the dry season yet another clump of scaly inky cap mushrooms is up on the log north of 16, as are a number of other mushrooms and delightful slimes. What's with all the robins tonight? They just seemed to be everywhere, as I stood on the east woodland path, I could see five of them hopping along the trail. Hairy woodpeckers were also very perky tonight, chasing each other in the wetland.

Birds: chickadees, goldfinch, cardinal, barred owl, indigo bunting, hairy woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, clearwing hummingbird moth, monarch butterfly, comma butterfly, twelve spotted skimmer dragonfly, widow skimmer dragonfly.

Notes: The buttonbush is very attractive to insects. A group of us counted several bumblebees, a pair of moths, a monarch, and numerous other little bugs all crawling on the flowers. Amazing clearwing hummingbird moth sipping nectar from the dogbane. The bell shaped flowers are great for the moth's extremely long proboscis. The wings flapped and flipped so fast it was hard to see the 2 yellow stripes at bottom abdomen and two white above. Very interesting, a first for this naturalist!

Birds: chickadees, goldfinch, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, eastern wood peewee, common yellowthroat, great crested flycatcher, grey catbird, scarlet tanager, house finch, white breasted nuthatch, red eyed vireo, heard barred owls, indigo bunting, blue jay.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, butterflies: monarch, banded hairstreak, norhter eyed brown, mourning cloak, pearl crescent, cabbage white, silver spotted skipper, northern cloudywing. Dragonflies: widow skimmer, twelve spotted skimmer, common whitetail, green darner, eight spotted simmer. Bluet damselfly, bumblebees, dogbane beetles.

Birds: chickadees, blue jays, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, cardinal, hawk, peewee, red eyed vireo, indigo bunting.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, mink, bumblebees, mosquitoes, spreadwing, dragonflies: 12 spotted dragonfly, common whitetail, widow skimmer.

Notes: Today brought many people to the Garden, eager to discover its many secrets. The distant picnic areas filled the air with noise, loud fireworks blasting and banging and people yelling and laughing. The Garden's prairie is bursting with life as well.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, house finch, red bellied woodpecker, blue jay, broadwinged hawk, chimney swift, red eyed vireo, eastern wood peewee, indigo bunting, white breasted nuthatch, robin, red winged blackbird, common yellowthroat, green heron, wood ducks.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, mink, dragonflies: widow skimmer, blue dasher, green darner, twelve spotted skimmer, common whitetail. Butterflies: hackberry, eastern tailed blue, cabbage white, silver spotted skipper, northern eyed brown, pearl crescent, monarch, question mark, banded hairstreak,

Notes: Saw a mink bounding along the far edge of the pond. There was a conspicuous absence of bird and squirrel activity at Mink Central. A blue jay did sound an alarm as a sleek mustelid emerged from whatever crevice it had been hiding in.

Birds: chickadees, phoebe, indigo bunting, goldfinch, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, cardinals.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, mink, woodchuck.

Notes: Released a monarch butterfly today. Saw the mink stalking a squirrel which was tip toeing away. Indigo bunting singing in upland, but hiding so we couldn't train our binoculars on him! The stream running through the Garden is all full of sediment and mud and doesn't flow with water, at least not when it's been dry for a few days. But the chipmunks and squirrels are just as perky as ever, in this heat.

Birds: chickadees, red eyed vireo, white breasted nuthatch, chipping sparrows, eastern wood peewee, downy woodpecker, cardinal, goldfinch, scarlet tanager, great crested flycatcher, indigo bunting, broadwinged hawks, Baltimore oriole, red headed woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, common yellowthroat, green heron, cedar waxwings, song sparrows, robins, wood ducks, red winged blackbirds.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, widow skimmer dragonfly, blue dasher dragonfly, frosted whiteface dragonfly, butterflies: pearl crescent, silver spotted skipper, cabbage white.

Notes: There is a second brood of fuzzy wood ducklings in the marsh outside the back gate, following their mother and trying not to bump into the other wood duck mother and her “teenaged” young. Maybe this female had a first unsuccessful attempt earlier at nesting, it's good to see her persistence paid off!

Birds: barred owls, red bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, great crested flycatcher, indigo bunting, goldfinch, pileated woodpecker, peewee, blue jay.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, four giant raccoons sitting in a tree, twelve spotted skimmer dragonfly, widow skimmer dragonfly.

Notes: the dominant colors in the upland prairie are whites and yellows, with white flowers of fleabane, New Jersey tea, and white false indigo, and yellows of day lilies, Michigan lilies and black eyed Susans. In the wetland, the white queen of the meadow, aroma of candy, destination of insects and people alike.

Birds: barred owls, red bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, peewee.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, mosquitoes, dancer damselfly, common whitetail dragonfly, 12 spotted skimmer dragonfly, ermine moth.

Notes: red squirrel up a tamarack, defending its red cones against all comers.

Birds: barred owls, chickadees, hairy woodpecker, cardinals.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, common whitetail dragonfly.

Notes: Planted new plants, today, foamflower near station29, and mountain laurel near the front gate.Lots of berries ripening, the white berries say “stay away,” but the juicy black berries of black raspberry beckon us temptingly.

Birds: Cardinals, hairy woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatch, downy woodpecker, chickadee, blue jay, Baltimore oriole, nuthatch, house finch, pileated woodpecker, peewee.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, eight spotted skimmer dragonfly

Birds: Cardinals, hairy woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck.

Birds: Baltimore orioles, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, chickadee, flicker, indigo bunting, hummingbirds, scarlet tanager, white breasted nuthatch, blue jay, house finch, great crested flycatcher, red eyed vireo, cedar waxwings, coopers hawk, broadwinged hawk, red winged blackbird, song sparrow, tree swallow, great egret, great blue heron, chimney swift, grey catbird, eastern kingbird, three pileated woodpeckers flew through the Garden.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, baby bunny, housecat. Dragonflies: Widow skimmer, common whitetail, dot tailed whiteface, twelve spotted skimmer, eastern pondhawk, blue dasher. Butterflies: mourning cloak, cabbage white, spring azure, silver spotted skimmer, common wood nymph, pearl crescent .

Notes: Lots of baby birds out looking a bit disheveled and making weird noises, saw cardinals, downy woodpeckers, and chickadees feeding their young.

Birds: Baltimore orioles, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, chickadee, flicker, indigo bunting, hummingbirds, wood ducks in Wirth Pond.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, Butterflies: mourning cloak, European skipper, cabbage, red admiral, banded hairstreak, spring azure. Dragonflies: twelve spotted skimmers, four spotted skimmers, green darner, common whitetails, Ladybug, grasshoppers, ermine moths

Birds: , chickadees, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, pileated woodpecker, pair of barred owls, singing to eaqch other, cardinal, red bellied sap sucker, house finch, indigo bunting, very skinny ruby throated hummingbird, red eyed vireo, bluejays.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck.Lots of green darner dragonflies,Butterflies: banded hairstreak, spring azure, comma, Dragonflies: common whitetail Moths: hummingbird moth

Birds: , chickadees, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, pileated woodpecker, indigo bunting, goldfinches, blue jay, cardinal, crow, great crested flycatcher, broadwinged hawk, Baltimore oriole, common yellowthroat, ruby throated hummingbird, red eyed vireo, eastern wood peewee, house finches.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, toadlet, lady beetle, bumblebee,

Butterflies: hackberry, eastern tailed blue, European skipper, comma, mourning cloak, pearl crescent, silver spotted skimmer, cabbage white. Dragonflies: widow skimmer, 12 spotted skimmer, 8 spotted skimmer, green darner, blue dasher, frosted whiteface, four spotted skimmer, common whitetail, eastern pondhawk. Damselflies: bluet.

Notes: Happy solstice! All kinds of little ones are out and about, a very insistent young Baltimore oriole followed what I can only assume was its dad around the wetland, making harsh chattering noises the whole time. And a baby toad crossed the path. So cute, so tiny! And tons of dragonflies!

Birds: , chickadees, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, pileated woodpecker, indigo bunting.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, woodchuck, toadlet, lady beetle, bumblebee.

Notes: Fruit is ripening and soon many raspberries will fill the beaks of birds. The plum tree dangles green drupes form its branches. Baneberry eagerly awaits to show a color – red or white? Black eyed Susans speckle the prairie and woodchuck carelessly munches away at the vegetation. Very active Birds in choirs of song! Wetland is choked out with many green plants and grasses, all competing for sun and water – it all seems taller than ever!

Birds: goldfinches, house finches, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, indigo bunting, Baltimore oriole, great crested flycatcher, ruby throated hummingbird, tree swallow, great egret, barred owls, scarlet tanager, northern flicker, eastern wood peewee, cooper's hawk soaring overhead, song sparrow, common yellowthroat, redwinged blackbirds, wood duck, chimney swift.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, painted turtle, groundhog, azure butterfly, pearl crescent butterfly, question mark butterfly, black tiger swallowtail, hummingbird moth, monarch, green darner dragonfly, twelve spotted skimmer dragonfly, common whitetail dragonfly, widow skimmer dragonfly, chalk fronted corporal dragonfly, dot tailed whiteface dragonfly, spittlebugs, leafhoppers, bumblebees, bluet damselflies.

Notes: The red elderberries add some lovely and much needed color to the Garden. Queen of the meadow is opening up in the wetland and it delicate lacy blooms and heavenly fragrance make it such a favorite! There seem to be many butterfly chases going on in the prairie, ascending fluttery shapes moving too fast to recognize. The perfect June day again. Filtered sunlight bursting through the canopy of trees. Lots of insects all around. The woods seem really alive!

Birds: goldfinches, house finches, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, indigo bunting, Baltimore oriole, great crested flycatcher, green heron (back marsh).

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks.Butterflies: Northern tailed blue, tiger swallowtail, pearl crescent.

Notes: Breezy June day with lots of sunshine. The forest is dryingout after the many rainstorms and the plants and animals seem satiated after the much needed rainfall.

Birds: goldfinches, house finches, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, pileated woodpecker, broadwinged hawks, red eyed vireo, eastern wood peewee, great crested flycatcher, cardinal, red bellied woodpecker, nuthatch, ruby throated hummingbird, mourning dove, great blue heron, great egret, catbird, red winged blackbirds, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting, green ehron, orioles, yellowthroat, least flycatcher, norther flicker, wood duck family, barn and tree swallows, chipping sparrows, mallards.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks.Butterflies: European skipper, silver spotted skipper, tiger swallowtail, cabbage, spring azure, painted lady, hackberry. Dragonflies: twelve spotted skimmer, common whitetail, widow skimmer, four spotted skimmer. Damselflies: bluet, eastern forktail.

Notes: Thunderstorms last night caused a few trees to come down, including one that crashed into our pinkshell azalea. Some trails got washed out, with big trenches in the woodchips, or a washboard appearance. Still humid.

Birds: indigo buntings, common yellow throat, goldfinch, red bellied woodpecker, house finch, flue jay, peewee, downy woodpecker, chickadee.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, adolescent fox, question mark butterfly, comma butterfly.

Notes: big thunderstorm tonight, high winds, hail, storm damage to trees and plants. Humid.

Birds: heard barred owls, cedar waxwings, great crested flycatcher, goldfinch, housefinch, pileated woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, indigo bunting, nuthatch, cardinal, blue jay, wood duck with four adolescent ducklings, song sparrow, eastern kingbird, eastern phoebe, cooper's hawk with food in its talons.

Mammals, herps, and insects: squirrels, chipmunks, snapping turtle anddeer outside back gate.

Notes: the pileated woodpecker shows up at our feeder every day and always he announces himself with his keekeekeekee! We rush to the window whenever we hear that call, and watch it feast on suet. Saw a large snapping turtle outside the back gate, sunning itself on a log in the duckweed filled marsh.

Birds: heard barred owls, eastern wood pewee, great crested flycatcher, red bellied woodpecker, red eyed vireo, downy and hairy woodpeckers, white breasted nuthatch, chickadees, blue jay, housefinch, cardinal, ruby throated hummingbird (feeding on foxglove beardtongue in prairie), pair of broadwinged hawks circling and calling in wetland and chased by a crow which was then chased by an oriole!

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchucks, tons of baby chipmunks chasing each other around the Garden! Hackberry butterfly, silver spotted skipper, comma butterfly, spring azure, question mark butterfly, great spangled fritillary, tiger swallowtail. Dragonflies: common whitetail, 12 spotted skipper, chalk faced corporal, dot-tailed whiteface.

Notes: a baby groundhog was munching a wide swathe through the upland prairie. They must really be a bit nearsighted because it came so close to me I could hear it chewing! The prairie and wetland are full of basking dragonflies, especially 12 spotted skimmers and common white tails. On one path I counted nine in a row!

Birds: barred owl hooting! Goldfinch, cardinal, red bellied sapsucker, indigo bunting, pileated woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, woodchucks.

Notes: Euonymus webworm/caterpillars have almost defoliated the running strawberry patch around the center garden square in front of the shelter. They leave behind remnants of webbing where they live. It provided protection. Most are getting ready to putate and then emerge as the adult moth – American ermine moth. Watch closely as this pest develops.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, goldfinch, housefinch, red bellied woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, woodchucks, European skipper butterfly, hackberry butterfly, eastern forktail damselfly. Dragonflies: 12 spotted, whitetail, widow skimmer

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, indigo bunting, hummingbird, goldfinch, pileated woodpecker, barred owls.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, woodchucks, chalk fronted corporal dragonfly, bluet damselfly, four spotted skimmer dragonfly, common whitetail dragonfly, spring azure butterfly, monarch caterpillars, leafhoppers, lady beetle.

Notes: Rained a little today around 1:00, and then the sky cleared completely and it's been sunny ever since! As the flowers have lessened, the insects have taken over. We have so many different types of beetles, leafhoppers, scale insects, spittle bugs! Not to mention the countless butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, and moths! Caterpillars are chewing up the leaves on many of the plants.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, eastern wood peewee, great crested flycatcher, red bellied woodpecker, red eyed vireo, coopers hawks, blue jay, brown headed cowbird, grackle, broadwinged hawk, ruby throated hummingbird, blue grey gnatcatcher, pileated woodpecker, indigo buntings, oriole, goldfinch, warbling vireo, red winged blackbird, flicker, woodducks, house sparrows, common yellowthroat, tree swallow, green heron, eastern kingbird.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, woodchucks, chalk fronted corporal dragonfly, common whitetail dragonfly, brown darner dragonfly.

Notes: Brrr, it's about 60 degrees out and cloudy! A darner dragonfly perched for a long time on my finger, I could feel the vibrations from the quivering wings! The same thing happened when I released the cecropia moth we had overwintered in a cocoon in the Garden. Keep your eyes out for the ruby throated hummingbirds surveying their territories in the wetland. They like to perch at the tops of tall trees in order to get a sweeping vista. One male has been sighted repeatedly at the top of a tamarack near station 24.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch,

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, question mark butterfly, grey comma butterfly, four spotted skimmer dragonfly, widow dragonfly, common white tail dragonfly, bluet damselfy.

Notes: Raccoon tracks in the mud. People have trampled the plants in front of the showy lady slipper to get a good photo. This happens every year.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, house finch, red eyed vireo, eastern wood peewee, red bellied woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, widow skimmer dragonfly, common whitetail dragonfly, dot tailed whiteface dragonfly, bluet damselfly, eastern forktail damselfly, tiger swallowtail butterfly,

Notes: The inky cap (coprinus) mushrooms are back on the western woodland trail. Catch a peek if you can before they dissolve into a black inky mess!

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, cardinal, red bellied sap sucker, blue jay.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, baby bunny,

Notes: Looks like the baby squirrels are out and solo. The biggest cluster of showy lady slippers is in full bloom with about 20 flowers. All other stands successful and in bloom as well.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, goldfinch, ruby throated hummingbird, pileated woodpecker, blue jay, house finch, great crested flycatcher, eastern wood peewee, common yellowthroat, red eyed vireo, red winged blackbird, song sparrow.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, baby woodchuck, toad, chalk fronted corporal dragonfly, twelve spotted skimmer, whiteface, common whitetail, eastern forktail damselfly, swallowtail butterfly, monarch butterfly.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, goldfinch, ruby throated hummingbird, pileated woodpecker,

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, eastern comma butterfly, black winged damselfly, bluet damselfly, 12 spotted skimmer, red admiral.

Notes: I have never seen so many different kinds of dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies, and moths! The heat and sun really bring them out. The air feels so active and alive. The butterflies love the ninebark flowers.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, broadwinged hawk, mallards, wood ducks, brown thrasher.

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), painted turtle, chorus frog.

Notes: Seven great egrets flew overhead, their white bodies shining against the blue sky – how beautiful! A brown thrasher has been hanging around outside the back gate in a thicket, he was showing off a few of his many calls, these mimics can have a repertoire of over 1,000 songs! He did a perfect imitation of a blue jay, the “sqeaky gate” call. And what a handsome bird, with a russet back, spotted front, pale eye, and slender curved beak.

Woody Plants­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­: bush honeysuckle, pagoda dogwood, mulberry, red raspberry, highbush cranberry, nannyberry, limber honeysuckle, mountain maple, pinkshell azalea, Tatarian honeysuckle, striped maple.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, goldfinch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, twelve spotted skimmer dragonfly, bluets (damselfly), common whitetail dragonfly, widow skimmer dragonfly, ebony jewelwing damselfly, common basket tail drangonfly, great spangled fritillary, aphids, eight spotted skimmer dragonflies.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, pileated woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: chipmunks and squirrels, damselflies, twelve spotted skimmer dragonfly, bluets (damselfly), common whitetail dragonfly.

Notes: Beautiful June day! The bees and dragonflies are fully enjoying the wealth of food in the garden.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, cardinal, blue jay, goldfinch, red eyed vireo, indigo bunting, eastern wood peewee, cedar waxwings, northern flicker, great crested flycatcher, peleated woodpecker, great blue heron, chimney swift, song sparrow, house sparrow, common yellowthroat, Baltimore oriole, red winged blackbird.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, bumblebees, common whitetail dragonfly, eight spotted skimmer dragonfly, monarch, comma butterfly, tiger swallowtails, spring azure butterflies, silver spotted skipper butterfly, hummingbird moth.

Notes: a third yellow lady's slipper just past station 30, noted on north side of trail. There are more colors of damselflies than I've ever seen dancing above a moist ditch outside the back gate, shiny blue and green, red golden and black. A flock of about a dozen cedar waxwings landed in a tree in the marsh, making their high zee zee zee calls as they dined

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, cardinal, blue jay, goldfinch, eastern wood peewee, scarlet tanager, great crested flycatcher, indigo bunting, red bellied woodpecker, broad winged hawks, common yellowthroat, phoebe, red eyed vireos, chimney swifts.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck tiger swallowtails, monarchs, woodchuck and three babies sitting on a bench in the prairie

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, cardinal, blue jay, goldfinch, great crested flycatcher, red eyed vireo, indigo buntings, broadwinged hawk, eastern wood peewee, blue grey gnatcatcher, pileated woodpecker, tree swallow, common yellowthroat, Baltimore oriole.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck with two kits, twelve spotted skimmer, tiger swallowtails (black phase), common whitetail dragonfly, monarchs, painted lady, spring azure, cabbage white.

Notes: Investigated turtle egg nests – one had been dug up and the shells scattered. No evidence of egg shells near the other nest. On a hot day like today, you can believe there were some fantastic thermals rising up off the warm earth. A broad winged hawk was seen soaring up above the prairie, and a red tailed was spotted just outside the back gate. Not a single flap was noted from either bird!

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, cardinal, blue jay.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, baby squirrels, toad, inchworms, bumblebees.

Notes: Hottest day yet this season and the plants are wilting to the sun. We will all need to adjust to the heat of summer. Two painted turtles laying eggs on the path in the wetland outside the garden's back gate.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, Cooper's hawk, cardinal, red breasted grosbeak, red eyed vireo, great crested flycatcher, broad winged hawk, ruby throated hummingbird, indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, chestnut sided warbler, Nashville warbler, song sparrow, Baltimore oriole, common yellowthroat, yellow throated vireo, mourning warbler, great egret, great blue heron, phoebe, common grackle, northern flicker, blue jay, mourning dove, house finch, goldfinch, house sparrow, brown headed cowbird, eastern wood peewee, grey catbird, cedar waxwings, redstart, wood duck and eight ducklings, pileated woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, baby squirrels, red fox in parking lot, little brown bats on night walk, green darners, monarchs, tiger swallowtails, damselflies.

Notes: a pair of barred owls duetted for a while in the early dusk, one very close to the visitor shelter. They filled the garden with their raucous cackling, but kept quiet and hidden when a pair of curious naturalists tried to get a peek at them with their binoculars! Two hummingbirds fought just outside the back tgate, chittering angrily. Their red throats flashed in the early mourning sunlight, and the loser turned tail and darted away. On the New Moon Walk, we got to see the owls preening each other's facial disks as they stood on the same branch.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, Cooper's hawk, cardinal.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, baby squirrels.

Notes: poplar “cotton” seeds floating on the breeze.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, pileated woodpecker, red tailed hawk, goldfinch, cardinal.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, baby squirrels, toad.

Notes: the hawk just flew away right over our heads. We were sitting under an oak tree while the blue indigo chirped fiercely at the hawk. The red tailed hawk flew over to the middle stand of oak trees up in the prairie and set out on the perch to strike a pose. We walked around him from every angle and he just sat there, clear as day up in the tree. Unfortunately I forgot my binocs and could not see exact details but from the looks of his whitish throat and breast with defined belly bands, I would say it was a red tailed. I think we disturbed its dinner maybe?

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, oriole, great crested flycatcher, indigo bunting, red bellied woodpecker, cardinal, goldfinch, ruby throated hummingbird, cedar waxwing, eastern wood peewee, scarlet tanager, pileated woodpecker, song sparrow.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, toads (trilling), cabbage white butterfly.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, oriole.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, grasshopper, bluet damselfly, scarob beetle.

Notes: The prairie is starting to take off. It is looking so crowded with plants, as they race to get taller. The woodchuck was sitting on a log, resting in the shade. No doubt adjusting to the first 85 degree day of the year. Watched a chipmunk “chucking,” it moves its tail in time with the chuck.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, northern flicker, oriole, barred owl, indigo bunting.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, albino squirrel, spring azure, mourning cloak, cabbage butterflies, grasshoppers, ladybug, tiger beetle.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, oriole, red bellied woodpecker, cardinal, goldfinch, junco, indigo bunting, blue jay, pileated woodpecker, red bellied sapsucker, barred owl.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, albino squirrel.

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, common yellowthroat, Tennessee warbler, Nashville warbler, gray catbird, goldfinch, indigo bunting, red bellied woodpecker, red eyed vireo, flicker, ruby throated hummingbird, chipping sparrow, mourning dove, chimney swift, olive sided flycatcher, blue jay, crow, brown headed cowbird, house wren, robin, cedar waxwing, eastern kingbird, great egret, great crested flycatcher, magnolia warbler, chestnut sided warbler, black and white warbler, redstarts, orioles, grackles, mallards, song sparrows, pileated woodpecker, least flycatcher, cedar waxwing, barn swallow, tree swallow, wood duck (and chicks) green heron, chipping sparrow, swamp sparrow, song sparrow, broadwing hawk.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, wood frog, chorus frogs, spring azure butterfly, painted turtle.

Notes: The orioles are really excited about the jelly. Both male and female spotted slurping up jelly from the dish. One even had the gall to swoop down during the Friends of the Wildflower Garden board meeting. At least we don't have to worry about the jelly rotting the birds' teeth! The yellow lady's slippers are amazing. The brown curled edges remind me of delicate ringlets on a lovely young lady. Best warbler sightings of the year this morning! And the woodduck in the pond is now being followed by nine fuzzy little ducklings!

Birds: chickadees, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, ruby throated hummingbird, oriole, indigo bunting, bluejay, pileated woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, wood frog, chorus frogs, spring azure butterfly.

Notes: The birds are really making music in the meadow. The woodchuck eating the leaves and many things are bouncing back from the rain and wind. Now the sun warms the air. Beautiful Baltimore orioles visit the grape jelly feeder and a wonder view painted in orange, black, and white. Have not seen the fox kits today!

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, ruby throated hummingbird, oriole.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, goldfinch, orioles.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, albino squirrel, wood frogs, chorus frogs, cabbage butterfly.

Notes: A snapping turtle successfully crossed Wirth parkway and settled itself into a large puddle near the parking lot.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, barred owl.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, spring peeper, crickets, chorus frog.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, northern oriole, red bellied woodpecker.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, spring peeper, crickets, Virginia tiger moth.

Notes: Released Virginia tiger moth that we had overwintered in a cocoon. Saw a perfect rainbow over the Garden at dusk.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, spring peeper, crickets, Virginia tiger moth.

Notes: Baltimore oriole feeding on grape jelly at feeders, may apple rust on some may apples, ferns look beautiful as more uncurl and take up space along the trails. Mother's Day the Garden was filled all day with families coming in to enjoy the view. Crowds gathered along the trail to see the foxes playfully fight over dead squirrel parts.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, black and white warblers, yellow rumped warblers, Tennessee warbler, great crested flycatcher, swainson's thrush, indigo buntings, goldfinches, brown headed cowbirds, red bellied woodpecker, blue jay, northern water thrush, Nashville warbler, ruby crowned kinglet, cedar waxwings, white throated sparrows, yellow throated vireo, scarlet tanager, ovenbird, woodducks, oriole, gray catbird, red winged blackbird, brown thrasher, tree swallow, song sparrow, common yellowthroat, housewren, robin, northern roughwinged swallows.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, spring peeper, crickets, Virginia tiger moth.

Notes: Baltimore oriole feeding on grape jelly at feeders, nesting red bellied woodpecker calling to its mate while in the dead tree outside the prairie, attracting a lot of attention to the nest. Lots of people came in and were excited to see it though.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, spring peeper, bumblebees.

Notes: Found some squirrel intestines and liver on the trail in the prairie, the foxes have been busy. Cedar apple rust flared up on the cedar again with all this rain.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, spring peeper, bumblebees.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), spring peeper, bumblebees.

Notes: We put out grape jelly. Waiting for the orioles.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), spring peeper, bumblebees.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), spring peeper, bumblebees.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), spring peeper

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, pileated woodpecker, cooper's hawk, broadwinged hawk, white throated sparrows, robins, grackles, indigo bunting, barn swallows, red winged blackbirds, mallards, song sparrows, Baltimore orioles, Nashville warbler, green heron, tree swallows, great egret

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), spring peeper, chorus frog, tiger swallowtail, mourning cloak, spring azure, cabbage white, green darner dragonfly, box elder bugs

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, pileated woodpecker

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), spring peeper

Notes: After days of clouds, the sun broke through in the evening with the most beautiful light filtering through the trees hitting the garden's floor and lighting up the emerging ferns. It was a feast of green for the eyes.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker,

Mammals, herps, and insects: woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), spring peeper

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, broadwinged hawk, mallards, wood ducks, brown thrasher,

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling), painted turtle, chorus frog,

Notes: Seven great egrets flew overhead, their white bodies shining against the blue sky – how beautiful! A brown thrasher has been hanging around outside the back gate in a thicket, he was showing off a few of his many calls, these mimics can have a repertoire of over 1,000 songs! He did a perfect imitation of a blue jay, the “sqeaky gate” call. And what a handsome bird, with a russet back, spotted front, pale eye, and slender curved beak.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, great egret, green heron, kingfisher, great blue heron, rough winged swallows, barn swallows, song sparrow, wood ducks, northern flicker

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits, toads (trilling)

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, goldfinch, white throated sparrows, house wren, pileated woodpecker, barred owl. Outside back gate: ruby throated kinglet, wood duck, rough winged swallow, tree swallow, and barn swallow, chimney swifts, kingfishers, palm warbler, red winged blackbirds

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits, three painted turtles in outside pond,

Notes: The bog is yellow with the marsh marigolds, the land is moist and damp from many days of rain. Everything is green and lush, it is truly a May Day!

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, goldfinch.

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits

Notes: There is a disgusting colony of cedar apple rust on a couple of our cedar trees. They are orange, about the size of crabapples, and they have gooey orange tentacles. Yuck.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, white throated sparrow, yellow bellied sapsucker, ruby crowned kinglets, song sparrow, red winged blackbirds, wood ducks, white breasted nuthatches, cardinal.

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits.

Notes: pairs of white breasted nuthatches and cardinals were seen feeding one another at the sunflower feeder. Just like the romantic couples trading bites of linguini at that cute little Italian restaurant in my neighborhood. But with worms. White throated sparrows didn't seem to mind the rain, and were out feeding in droves, scratching among the leaves, practicing their melancholy song, Oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada… which is where they'll be heading soon.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker,

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits.

Notes: cool and rainy, the western woodland trail is filled with the scent of balm of gilead.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, brown creeper, white throated sparrow, wood duck, pileated woodpecker, ruby crowned kinglet, barred owl.

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits.

Notes: New Moon Night Walk – we played a barred owl audio tape. Then we were quiet. All of a sudden, the Garden's resident barred owl hooted softly. Soon we saw her as she flew across the path and watched us calmly from the bough of a hemlock tree. We moved on. It was now quite dark, and as we approached the fox den, the female fox yelped/barked at us several times. She eventually moved away. She tolerates us during the day, but at night, we are intruders.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, phoebe, bluejay, Canada geese, goldfinches, song sparrow, red winged blackbird.

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits, mourning cloak butterfly, green darner dragonfly, leopard frog.

Notes: stand downwind of the plum trees and be treated to their light fruity scent, watch the busy bumbles collect nectar from them, it's prime time for those workaholic bumblebees. The woodchuck froze to avoid detection by noisy children, but it is spotted. The kids race towards it screaming, the woodchuck quickly scampers away. The fox kits playfully roll and pounce along the garden hillsides, oblivious of people watching from a distance.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, phoebe, bluejay

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, fox kits,

Notes: stand downwind of the plum trees and be treated to their light fruity scent, watch the busy bumbles collect nectar from them, it's prime time for those workaholic bumblebees. The woodchuck froze to avoid detection by noisy children, but it is spotted. The kids race towards it screaming, the woodchuck quickly scampers away. The fox kits playfully roll and pounce along the garden hillsides, oblivious of people watching from a distance.

Birds: chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, phoebe, bluejay.

Birds: wood ducks in back bond, chickadees, cardinal, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, tree swallows, goldfinches.

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck, painted turtle in Wirth Lake, 6 fox kits, green darners, bumblebees, mourning cloak butterflies,

Notes: fragrance in the air, the warmth spread the elderberry scent throughout the garden. The wind near the plum trees carried its own sweetness.

Birds: ruby crowned kinglets, hermit thrush, red bellied woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, nuthatch, red winged blackbirds, blue jay, chickadees, great blue heron flew over, In pond outside garden: northern shoveler, blue winged teal, woodducks, mallards, Canada geese, song sparrows, tree swallows, brown headed cowbird.

Mammals, herps, and insects: dragonflies, woodchuck

Birds: bluejay, northern shoveler on Wirth Lake

Birds: barred owl, cardinal, pileated woodpecker, mallard.

Notes: cold front moved in, seems more like traditional spring. Maybe this will slow the plants down, they've been growing so quickly! And the trees are leafing out quickly too. Amongst the emerging water horsetails, the mallard duck waits for its mate, who should be laying her eggs soon. Dark storm clouds divide the sky into grey and blue, but the flowers soak up much needed moisture.

Birds: hairy and downy woodpecker, nuthatch, chickadee, red bellied woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, cardinal, goldfinch, rough winged swallos, tree swallos, northern flicker, ruby crowned kinglet, red winged blackbirds,

Mammals, herps, and insects: six fox kits, chorus frogs, green darners, box elder beetles, anglewing butterfly

Birds: hairy and downy woodpecker, nuthatch, chickadee, red bellied woodpecker,

Mammals, herps, and insects: six fox kits, chorus frogs, green darners, box elder beetles, anglewing butterfly.

Birds: hairy and downy woodpecker, nuthatch, chickadee, red bellied woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, yellow rumped warbler, white egret in flight, cooper's hawk, ruby crowned kinglets.

Mammals, herps, and insects: Spring peepers heard, chorus frog, mourning cloak butterfly, green darner dragonflies, six fox kits, spring azure butterfly, angle wing butterfly

Birds: , hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, chickadee, red bellied woodpecker, creeper, thrasher, yellow rumped warbler, ruby crowned kinglet, great blue heron in flight, chipping sparrow.

Mammals, herps, and insects: Spring peepers heard, chorus frog, mourning cloak butterfly, green darner dragonflies, six fox kits, woodchuck.

Notes: today the woodchuck was the life of the party. He was at the bird feeder and squirrel feeders. He wrestled down an elderberry and ate the flower buds off it. Reports came in from other antics out in the field.

Birds: , hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, chickadee, red bellied woodpecker, wood ducks, song sparrow, tree swallows, ruby crowned kinglets, northern harrier, coopers hawks, red winged blackbird, American coot, herring gull, broadwinged hawks, goldfinches, surf scoter on Wirth Lake, red tailed hawk, bluebird, northern flicker

Mammals, herps, and insects: Spring peepers heard, chorus frog, mourning cloak butterfly, green darner dragonflies, spring azure butterfly, six fox kits

Notes: The broad winged hawks are back from their winter in the tropics! I heard a high two note call and saw a hawk circle overhead with something shiny, black and very limp in its talons – a snake! Lunch! A crow had decided that perhaps maybe there is too such a thing as a free lunch and was chasing and diving at the small buteo, probably trying to get it to drop the snake. The broad wing held it own though and the crow gave up. Goldfinches are molting, they have been showing up at the feeders with the most comical combinations of bright yellow patches on their heads and backs which contrast strikingly with the drab olive color of their remaining winter plumage.

Birds: , hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, chickadee, red bellied woodpecker, barred owl

Mammals, herps, and insects: Spring peepers heard, chorus frog, mourning cloak butterfly, green darner dragonflies