Spring
Maple Uprising
This tiny maple sapling is rising up from the crowded forest floor, determined to make a place for itself in the world. Springtime renewal is emerging in Northeast Wisconsin.
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Ladies In White
The muted sunlight coming from behind these white tulips gave the flowers a unique quality. These early spring beauties were photographed at Pella, Iowa. Each year Pella has a tulip festival.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Lilac Euphoria
Liberal Supply of Bleeding Hearts
Singing for Supper
These young tree swallows are hungry and waiting for mom to serve up lunch. They are only about a week old, but growing fast. There are six in this nest box; one of several around our property.
Normally, when you open the nest box to look in our their progress, these young birds are very calm and sleep-like. I trick them to stretch and open their mouths my faking them out with a little whistle. When the mom returns with food, her motherly chirp will perk them up and they open up for the meal she’s brought. So, all it takes it is a little chirp of a whistle and they all bob up, mouths open, waiting. Don’t worry, they don’t stay hungry and wanting for long. Within in moments after close up the house, the parents are flying back in and out with food for them.
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Overflow Seating
Every spring we look forward to the return of bluebirds and tree swallows. We have next boxes around the edges of our yard to encourage homesteading. It’s always a treat to see them building their nests and then watch as the eggs hatch and the babies develop.
This is a view inside a nest box claimed by Eastern Bluebirds. These baby bluebirds are becoming quite cramped in the small confines of the nest box. Though you can’t see all of them, there are five youngsters piled on top of each other. In a short time (I’m guessing a week or less), they will leave the nest.
When looking in on this crowd, we had to be sure none of them spilled out…which they almost did.
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Apple Blossom Time
It’s A Spring Thing
Meeting of the Ferns
This is an interesting study in natural design and form. These are bracken ferns in the early stages of their season. I found these on a recent springtime walk through the woods.
Like a flower blooming, these ferns uncurl upward and spread their fronds. In a couple of weeks, they will cover the forest floor with lush, green foliage.
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Heavy Lifting Morels
These are morel mushrooms. I photographed them just as I found them. As you can see, they were growing in a rocky area. It seems, as they grew, they picked up a couple of stones between them. They remind me of a pair of hands with mittens reaching up from the rocks.
Morels are edible and highly prized by their culinary fans. My wife is a true fan…as in fanatic. Her passion lies as much (or more) in finding them than eating them. It’s hard to keep her out of the woods this time of year.
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