Spring has Sprung

Well sorta, in about three weeks most of the bulb type flowers should start popping up.  This from past experiences/observations of when the Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and Grackles return from their winter feeding grounds.

The neighbors crabapple is preferred over ours, once they pick it the birds will start in on our tree.

Some of the Robins are looking a little rough around the edges, this one was healthy looking.

Grackles are pairing up already, not surprised.

Redwing Blackbirds

Redwing Blackbirds hanging out in a sycamore tree.

More Wind Damage

Bjorkboda Marsh - Cottonwoods

Snack Time

A young male red squirrel eating red oak tree blossoms!  The tree is covered, and heavily, in blossoms this spring.

Hot in April

Young male red squirrel resting on a red oak branch.

Redbud Blossoms

Amber Maple Blossoms

Cherry Blossoms

Robin

Robins

Robins from last years invasion they show up every year at about the same time stripping the crabapples and hackberries from the trees.

Robins

Last Years Robin Invasion

Last Year's Robin Invasion

Robins in the Hackberry Tree

Hoar Frost

Woke up to a thick layer of hoar frost all over everything.

Tendrils

Mystery Hole

Bird Nest

Found on the lower branch of a pear tree that was low enough to the ground to be swallowed up by native grasses.

Buckeye

Dh and I thought this might be a Russian Olive??? I didn't have my camera with me so I brought home a clump of leaves and a fruit from the tree, I didn't see any thorns on the branches. Suggestions...

(NOTE 082608 as of today this is officially an ohio buckeye, NOT a russian olive!)

Summer's Here!

It was so warm here today that the squirrels, which are normally tearing through our trees chasing each other around, were just laying on the branches napping instead.

I wasn't able to get a shot of the squirrels stretched out on the branches but here's a pic from a year or so ago of our resident squirrel fattening up for winter. She's sitting in our Norway Maple in our backyard with a black walnut in her mouth.

Bloomin Shrub

I'm not sure what under story shrub, or tree, this is, but it has lovely dark coral blossoms.

Fungi

Polyporus squamosus