Springing Forward

Green Herons return. (4/12/14).
Green Herons return. (4/12/14).

There’s been so much happening in the Wild lately that it’s difficult to keep up, to stay on top of the reporting of said happenings. Here’s a quick update.

If you remember, there were two successful Green Heron nests in our Wetlands last year. We’re hoping to have a repeat. Last Saturday two of the small, somewhat green herons appeared. I’ve seen one or two each day since, so maybe a redo of last year’s events is forthcoming.

The first odes, or rather the first dragonflies, seen here at the Museum this season were also observed on Saturday, the 12th of April. I’d been observing damselflies a few weeks prior, Fragile Forktails, but I hadn’t see any dragons.

March is a month in which the first dragonflies should be out and about here at the Museum. Lancet Clubtails, Common Baskettails, Blue Corporal, and maybe a fly-in Common Green Darner or two.

What I eventually saw on April 12 were a Common Whitetail and a Common Baskettail.

Common Whitetail.
Common Whitetail.
Common Baskettail.
Common Baskettail.

I’m not sure if the lack of other dragons is a result of the cooler spring or a change in the Wetlands’ biology.

And finally a few flora.

Flowering Dogwood has been in bloom all week.
Flowering Dogwood has been in bloom all week.
Red Buckeye in bloom.
Red Buckeye in bloom.
Wisteria.
Wisteria.

For the purest out there, I know that Red Buckeye is not native to our area of the state. Yellow Buckeye is what you’ll find while cruising the hiking trails of the Piedmont. The red variety can be found in the southern coastal plain of North Carolina, and of course, here at the Museum where it was planted.

For those of you who winced at seeing the photo of the wisteria, you’re correct, that is not the native wisteria in the photo. We do have the native variety here on campus, which, like the red buckeye was also planted (it too grows on the coastal plain). The native variety blooms later than Chinese Wisteria.

See you soon!

 

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