Dutchman's Breeches

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) Skillet Creek Indian Mounds

Common Buttercup

Common Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)  Skillet Creek Indian Mounds

Downy Yellow Violet

Downy Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens) at Skillet Creek Indian Mounds near Stratford, Iowa
Well I think it is either that or it's a Stream or Smooth Violet (Viola Glabella)

Spring Beauty

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) Taken at Skillet Creek Indian Mounds.

Canada Goose

Nesting Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swans

I do believe that this nesting pair are Trumpeter Swans.

Cherry Blossoms

Today in Iowa

Cedar Waxwing

The Cedar Waxwings arrived ahead of the Robins this year.

Arrival of the Cedar Waxwings

Crabapple Feast

These little piggies, I mean Robins, are gorging themselves on the crabapples that have hit the ground.  There were something in the range of 250-300 Robins that descended upon our neighborhood stripping all of the crabapples and hackberries from the trees.  The Robins fought with Cedar Waxwings for the crabapples.

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

Winter's Retreat

The Girls of Summer

Family Portrait

Summer 2009

Hoar Frost

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