This young robin was hopping around the yard, constantly looking at the ground on the earth worm hunt. The young bird’s plumage still has its early “speckled” feathers. It won’t be long until this robin will sport that famous solid color red-breast.
Nature
I’ve never seen a tree like this before
At first from a distance I thought it might be a very large monument in the Arlington East Hill Cemetery. As we walked through the grounds and got closer it looked somehow like a huge tree.
Looks like a very tall monument
Getting closer it looks more like a dead tree
Close up you can for sure see it is a huge dead tree. The outside surface is very smooth in parts, and it certainly looks like layers twisted tightly around the trunk of the tree. Never seen anything like this. One side has a rather swirled layered look as well.
Looks like twisted layers. Looks rather weird.
The open trunk lower down is very interesting.
Not a common look on a tree trunk
Another view, also uncommon in a tree
This is one of the strangest trees I have ever seen. It started out looking like a large monument in the cemetery. And the closer you got the more you saw the tree. And the details were even more not tree like it seems. Wish I knew what species of tree this is/was. It is located in the Arlington East Hill Cemetery near Arlington, Indiana.
Wet squirrel
This squirrel got caught in our heavy rain storm and got drenched. He hopped on the tree about 3 feet up, grabbed the trunk and held on for dear life. Note his water logged tail.
We were under a severe storm warning that soon turned onto a full fledged tornado warning complete with the phones going off and our local sirens blaring.. We avoided any damage from the very high wind gusts, and fortunately there was no hail. Some parts of town suffered from wind damage.
Wet bunny and other critters
Wet bunny sitting in a heavy rain shower
Baltimore oriole enjoying the nectar feeder
Red-winged blackbird This is the first season we have seen this species in our yard
This squirrel loves a crunchy kernel of corn
We really enjoy the menagerie that shows up in our backyard. At one point yesterday we counted at least nine (9) squirrels romping around. They were having fun chasing each other up and down and around the tree, and it looked like total pandemonium. We are very fortunate to have a nice yard that gives us our own little slice of nature.
Some plants around our yard
Here’s a little photo tour of some of the foliage in our yard.
The trees are now fully in leaf. The roses are beginning to bloom, herbs are growing very nicely and the honeysuckle is in full bloom and hopefully will help the hummingbirds. Seems like the grass needs mowed every third day. Spring is here, summer is on the way.
First of the season
The first strawberry of the season! It’s always fun to spot the first, even though this one is rather small. We’re hopeful that we’ll see lots more.
Blood Super May Flower Moon eclipse time lapse
Here in central Indiana we had thick cloud cover and thunder storms during the height of the eclipse. Our son and his family live in central Texas and he shared this time lapse video of last night’s lunar eclipse with us.
Pileated woodpeckers are impressive
(The video focuses quickly after it starts.)
We spotted this female Pileated woodpecker working over a large stump at a cemetery. She worked it for quite a while, and did not take off even when we got much closer. Perhaps she is used to lots of cars and people in the cemetery.
A Baltimore oriole is a new visitor
We enjoyed seeing a Baltimore oriole for the first time over the past few days. A very colorful bird indeed.
Those pesky sparrows love to photo bomb
This fellow loves our hummingbird feeder
It seems like he is proud of his plumage
We’ve seen at least two males (the pics are of a male) and at least one female. Hopefully there is a nest nearby. We may have to get another hummingbird feeder, as the orioles have taken over this one. Orioles love nectar, and appearently fresh fruit. We’ll try hanging some cut oranges up soon.
Roadtirement 