It has no pockets to keep a hankie in.
A black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia). I would like her to be my friend.
Greg and Terry Tellier sent these photos from Arizona.
Let there be birds.
Mary Guggisberg of Freeborn spotted an American golden plover.
Tom and Kathy Sheehan of Emmons took these photos of a trumpeter swan dwarfing Canada geese and a bald eagle on a nest.
An ovenbird in a van.
Tom Jessen of Madelia sent these photos of an ovenbird that tried to take a ride in his van, The bird was released unharmed.
Birds to look for. All birds are worth looking for.
Karen and Jerry Ibberson of Ellendale took this photo of a Wilson's warbler.
Neil Lang of Albert Lea caught this Cape May warbler at a feeder.
Linda Eisterhold of Austin snapped this picture of a gray catbird.
Erwin Hill captured this image of a Baltimore Oriole.
My father called them blue canaries.
No matter what they are called, indigo buntings are lovely birds.
John Nelson of Good Thunder, MN saw this extended family yesterday.
Bryce Gaudian of Hayward snapped this photo of a pensive house sparrow.
Baby chickadees.
A friend, John Beal, sent me this photo of baby chickadees, of which there are few things cuter.
I loved seeing this yellow-headed blackbird. My Dad called them mustard heads.
Chipmunks love grape jelly, too.
May be birds.
A female rose-breasted grosbeak is a lovely bird.
Warbling toads.
Carol Lang sent this photo of a bay-breasted warbler.
And Tom Jessen snapped photos of this Great Plains toad.
Bird is the word.
A white-throated sparrow is almost hidden. This beauty whistles, "Old Sven Peterson, Peterson, Peterson."
A nuptial tubercle on an American white pelican. This is a fibrous plate on the upper bill that falls off when the mating season is over. The bird's crest turns gray at that time.
Leucistic common grackle
This bird is at the Duane and Judy Vonch place in Fountain, Minnesota. The photo was taken with a cellphone by Mark Kothman.
On the walk to an aviary in a nursing home.
Taking a photo of a bird nest in 1900
The only thing digital about it was the fingers broken in a fall.
This photo of a burrowing owl taken by Greg and Terry Tellier.
Cedar waxwings. Photo taken by Tim Scott of Mankato.
A varied thrush
That wintered in Madelia, Minnesota. Photo by Tom Jessen.
A double-crested cormorant photo taken by Julie Bronson of Emmons.
Ray Splinter took a photo of this common grackle with a white head. An example of leucism.
Leucistic red-tailed hawk
Photos taken by one of my good neighbors, Glenn Ausen.
Tom Jessen of Madelia sent me this photo of a rose-breasted grosbeak blending in with its environment.
Wild Bill Hickok was named after
The wild blue phlox. At least part of his name was derived from that. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
A dandelion is a dandy. I've found it easier to appreciate them then to try to eradicate them.
I have northern bedstraw on the knee. This plant was used for years to stuff mattresses and to color hair.
Mystery Cave
It's a mystery, but the arrow tells us where it is.
A wild leek. I used to eat one on a hot dog each year. It gave me garlicky breath for several days.
Spring beauty. A perfect name for this ephemeral.
Stinging nettles
Known to many as itch weed.
I love violets. This one looks like a butterfly.
Virginia bluebells make me anything but blue.
Merlin
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Bald eagles in Louisiana
A great guy makes the cover of a magazine.
Paul Loomis of Winnebago. Paul grew up around Hartland just as I am attempting to do.
Rasmussen Woods
Mankato, MN
Wild ginger.
Trout lily.
Blooming trout lily.