It was a chilly, windy day out on the lake. This young Prothonotary Warbler found shelter among the water lilies, flittering from leaf to leaf and occasionally sitting peacefully and soaking up the warmth of the sun.
“We should all find a quiet place, a peaceful space, to bury the chaos and rest for a while.” ~Christy Ann Martine
While driving down the road at the refuge, we spotted this frog resting on a branch and soaking up the late afternoon sun.
“Get off the track of doubt and gloom, get on the sunshine track, there’s room.” ~ Unknown
After Common Green Darner dragonflies mate, the male (with the blue abdomen) continues to grip the head of the female (with the reddish-brown abdomen), and together, they fly to a body of water with aquatic vegetation. Here, the female bends her sharp ovipositor into the water and makes incisions into plant stems and leaves, where she carefully lays her eggs. After about a week, the eggs will hatch into nymphs. The vegetation will provide a place for the young to live and hunt as they mature.
“There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it is thoroughly finished yields the true glory.” ~Francis Drake
Birds seen recently around the levee and lake.
“If you’re not a bird watcher you won’t be very excited, though gulls are graceful in flight and striking in appearance. If you’re a bird watcher this makes you weak in the knees.” ~Bryan Pfeiffer
After the drab of winter, there’s something refreshing and renewing about all the beautiful shades of green in the spring.
“For still there are so many things that I have never seen: in every wood in every spring there is a different green.” – J. R. R. Tolkien
Purple Dead Nettles, with their pink tube-like flowers and burgundy upper leaves, were blooming along the Mississippi levee. Various types of bees were flying about among the wildflowers, attracted by their nectar.
Beautiful little Clouded Yellow Butterflies danced about over the wildflowers, with an occasional courting pair fluttering together in the air. The butterflies seemed too lively to stop and drink from the flowers.
This busy little bee, on the other hand, was sampling each little flower.
While watching the bees and butterflies, out of nowhere, a group of six eagles consisting of at least one adult and several juveniles, came swooping in from overhead. Their loud screeching and erratic flying stirred up quite a commotion.
After the eagles settled in nearby trees,
we started down the embankment of the levee to drive along some of the farmland back roads. Then we saw them. A group of Clouded Yellow Butterflies were sitting in the middle of the road, extracting salt and minerals from an area of sand and rocks.
They were a beautiful sight to watch!
“Nature is full of wonders; every atom is a standing miracle, and endowed with such qualities, as could not be impressed on it by a power and wisdom less than infinite.” ~Joseph Addison
With each passing day, something magical is occurring as more and more signs of spring are slowly being revealed.
This Brown Thrasher perched at the top of a bush, belting out its varied repertoire, seemed to be announcing the news that spring is quickly approaching.
“In March winter is holding back and spring is pulling forward. Something holds and something pulls inside of us too.” ~Jean Hersey
Driving along the road, we spotted this elegant-looking eagle sitting serenely at the top of a cypress tree.
“There’s a nobility in his eye, a regal serenity about him. Does he not personify all that men try to be and never can be?” ~Michael Morpurgo
Bacteria feeding on decaying vegetation at the bottom of the lake release methane bubbles. The bubbles rise to the surface and become trapped, one over the other, in the newly frozen ice.
“In the stillness of a frozen moment, we can find the magic that life has to offer.” – Unknown
Some of the remnants of autumn staunchly stood their ground, while others lay intertwined just below the surface of the winter ice.
“Winter, come rest your soul on autumn’s weary head. Twirl, shimmer, soften before tucking fall to bed.” ~Angie Weiland-Crosby
walking on a country road 