We spent several hours last evening watching dusk turn to night. It grew chilly as the sun set so we were surprised to see bats out and about! Big Browns, for sure, and possibly another smaller species. Several swooped and maneuvered overhead, catching hardy early spring insects.
A Great Horned Owl landed in a tree, surveyed the area for a while and moved on. Yes, their wingbeats really are silent. Spring Peepers and American Toads sang.
Around the yard, there's a whole lot o' pollinatin' goin' on.
The Juneberry (aka Serviceberry, aka Amelanchier, aka Shadbush, aka Saskatoon) was abuzz with bees. 
We have a dozen trees outside the back door and this is the only one flowering right now. This may make for a longer fruiting season, which the Cedar Waxwings should appreciate in a few weeks.
Bumblebee on Dutchman's Breeches
Trout Lily leaf 
Trillium, soon to flower
Bloodroot is finished blooming in the yard but is at its peak on the North End.
6 comments:
Good ol' sarvice berry. Yep, the hill-country pronunciation. Spoken in two long syllables: sarr-viss. The leaves turn such a pretty pink-orange in the fall, too.
Love the photos. And here come the flowers!
Rainy here today, cool. I built a fire on the hearth which felt good. I sat on the deck last night at dusk, though bat-less.
We do have lot of bats here along the river, however, and one of the most fun things to do is sit on the deck on a summer's evening as it gets dark and the bats come out, circling over the pool in front of the cottage. As darkness increases, there are two lights on the river side of the house which come on via an automatic sensor. I have low-wattage bulbs in them—just enough to give a bit of light to the deck. Even this draws a few insects, of course. Which draws the bats. There's probably 20-30 circling over the water and they flash past really close—so close sometimes that you can feel the air off their beating wings on your face.
I have to be careful who I show this too and invite for a bat-watch—but if close-flying bats (dozens of 'em) doesn't put the person off, then it's one of the neatest things you'll ever experience. The show lasts about half an hour; then the bats thin in numbers, moving up or downstream, following the bugs.
Glad you liked the photos!
Yes, bats rock! We discovered last summer that the abandoned barn across the road serves as a roost so we plan to spend quite a few evenings watching them swarm out for the night. Real life entertainment makes tv pale by comparison, eh?
Great photos!
Real life does beat all! We thought we had bats in our belfry - but it was the cat up in the roof, somehow in the collar of the chimney, in through the attic, catching mice. He brought out two.
I put up a bat box but it's not in the right spot...sigh.
I like canoeing just at dark, when the bats fly over zinging those pesky mosquitoes!
Thanks, Jenn.
I haven't heard about much success with bat boxes but they keep selling them so they must work. We've had an unused one for years; I think they'll take to natural spots over boxes if habitat is right. I bet they have plenty of natural spots around your lake!
Your toads really sing? Ours make a croaking noise like an out of tune orchestra, keeps you awake half of the night. When the dogs start howling with them they sound like a punk band.
Haven't seen Great Horned Owls in a while, majestic birds!
It's not often we see owls but it's a treat when we do.
Our toads sing as well as croak. There's audio here!
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/sounds/Bufo_americanus.html
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