Black Cherry

This is a black cherry tree.  It is native to the Eastern US,  (see here)  The fruit is safe to eat, but the leaves contain cyanide and are poisonous.

Saharan dust

The sky had a hazy almost smoky look.  The dust cloud from the Sahara reached Raleigh this week.

reflecting

This turtle was deep in thought, reflecting.

Busy Bees

The bees were busy in the milkweed.

No butterflies in sight though.

Dragonfly

This dragonfly sat long enough for a picture.  I think he was posing for me.

Big leap

He took a long leap.

He really was a handsome guy.

Overgrown

The children's outdoor play area at Wilkerson Nature Preserve has been unused and overgrown.

Teenagers

Those cute little fuzzy goose babies of a month ago, are now teenagers.  That's an awkward stage for everyone!

Where's Tarzan?

Tarzan could have easily swung on this thick vine.

Trumpet vine

This bright orange flower is aptly named: Trumpet vine. It is native to the Eastern US and can be very invasive, but beautiful.

Learning to sing

This scruffy young Carolina Wren was practicing his singing.  It came out in short peeps instead of an adult's long trills.

Hmmm

This sign took me a while to figure out.  I think it means do not spray weedkiller...?

Still closed

Even the children's garden at Durant Nature Park is still closed.

Water snake

What would a water snake be doing, except swimming along in the creek?

Visitor

I think you could call him a "friendly visitor".  The neighbors had a stinky dead rabbit in their yard.  Mr. Vulture came to check it out.

Goose line

Were they playing follow the leader?

Neighborhood Watch

The neighbor's garden grows under the watchful eyes of the trees.

Butterfly Highway

When the neighbors have an overgrown yard, maybe it's something more.

Wild raspberries

It'll be a good year for the birds when the raspberries are finally ripe.

Young Heron

This young heron was practicing his fishing skill.  We watched him hunt and catch a stick.

lizard tails

We've seen lizards, now here are lizard tails, a native plant that grows in wetlands.

Not open yet

The kids are eagerly awaiting the opening of park playgrounds.  Sadly, it will still be a while.

Pollinators

Where else would you find busy pollinators, but in a pollinator garden?

After a storm

This little lake is fed by storm water runoff.  The water gets pretty muddy after a rainstorm.

Baby Blue

It took us a long time to figure out who this guy was.  He's a juvenile bluebird

Magnolia season

This magnolia blossom was the size of a large dinner plate.

Forest view

It looks like an untouched primordial forest, but it's just off the path at Lake Lynn with hundreds of people walking by every day.

Thrashing thrasher

Brown Thrashers are aptly named.  This one was trying to get something from the suet feeder without landing.

Hiding in plain sight

He thought he was hiding, but his ears gave him away.

Theme day: Park

The theme this month is Park.

My granddaughters call this Fish Park.  Can you see why?