A post without birds

Migrants are flying in all over the state, but I haven't had the opportunity to go see any.
My time has been spent doing all those boring yet necessary things that keep me from birding: Parenting, programs and sleeping. Well, programs aren't boring, but it does tend to cut into my prime birding time.

Some pics from the past few days:


She insisted on wearing this daring ensemble to the grocery store. A high-end dress from an uppity boutique, with red rubber boots. Well, could I argue with that?


The accidental redbud in the yard is in full bloom. This is "accidental" because it looks like the previous owners of our house found this growing along the property line and bracketed it with boards. We almost chopped it down years ago, but we stopped when we saw tiny buds. A dogwood is right next to it, also bracketed by boards. Two of only a few native plants that existed when we bought the place.

When I showed Isabelle how close the chipping sparrows allow us to get, she devised a plan:

...she disguised herself as a tree. (Holding dismembered honeysuckle branches)

While I was tearing out honeysuckle in a native-loving fit, she brought over a few new friends:

Baby centipedes. Great. Now put them back before Mommy has a seizure.


My wisteria, having sat there for 4 years, is almost ready to bloom. Last year, I got to enjoy a few blooms (strangely, in July) for about 12 hours before the flippin' Japanese beetles ate them.
(And Nellie sneaked into the photo, too)


The first tree I looked up in books and actually identified myself:

A hawthorn. I found it 2 years ago while tearing out the honeysuckle in a native-loving fit. It was covered by a huge patch of honeysuckle, and I might have torn it out too, but I got stuck by one of the thorns. The flowers are reminiscent of apple blossoms, and in the fall, are replaced by
golf-ball-sized fruits. I'm not going to hazard a guess as to what kind of hawthorn it is...there are a bazillion different species.

During a walk with Lorelei today at Kelley's Nature Preserve, we were treated to a carpet of wildflowers. (For a very nice, informative post on Ohio's native and non-native wildflowers living at the Cincinnati Nature Center, go see KatDoc here)


Wild blue phlox...a huge flower compared to the Creeping Phlox I planted in the flowerbed a few years ago.


It was nearly 80 degrees today. Sitting by the Little Miami was a pleasurable experience that even Lorelei couldn't find fault with.

The backyard interlopers:

Slugs. Lots and LOTS of slugs. I'm not well-versed in slug ID's, but Ohio has both native and exotic types.
They seem to be enjoying the dandelions, so I can't complain. And I mean, they are on EVERY. Single. Dandelion.


Ever look a slug in the eye? There's intelligence there...I swear it.


This one is shy...."Blushing Slug". Sounds like a bad rock band.


Just to make this picture more enjoyable, imagine this slug singing "Weekend in New England".

And for my Boston-philes out there: