A visit from Olmsted 2nd Graders

47 Olmsted 2nd graders visited the Arboretum today. The weather was quite nice, maybe it was a little windy, but we did see some sunshine peaking out through the clouds now and then.

The kids learned about tree fruits and everyone looked for the very small baby plums hidden in plum flowers. Nancy took the class through the native prairie and found a mallard ducks nest with 6 eggs! While exploring the lake, kids found tadpoles, fish, caddishfly, dragonfly larva, a water scorpion, several snails and a frog. Thanks to Wren!

Perhaps best of all were the dandelions!

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Crabapple Watch

I took a quick walk out to the Crabapple collection today and the flower buds were not open, yet. The weather has warmed in the last few days, opening the flowers of service berries, wild plums and our ornamental pears.
The crabapples should be looking great by Mothers day, May 11th.

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May 3rd Bird Walk Report

Hi, Andy,

You didn't miss much at the Arboretum bird walk. It was darn cold, but it did end up being sunny. Most birds were in the sheltered timber areas.

The highlights were:

2 Yellow Warblers

Another Lark Sparrow

Sedge Wren

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warblers

Many Savannah Sparrows

Sora

2 Common Yellowthroat

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

John Bissell

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Crabapple Watch

Although this year’s lingering chilly weather has postponed the blossoming of flowering trees and shrubs, we missed the brutal freeze of last year that froze many flower buds before they blossomed. A walk through the crabapple collection today revealed many flower buds ready to blossom.

It is hard to guess when the crabapple collection will be in the peak display of color. The weather forecast for the next two days calls for rain and cold temperatures. My thinking is that the blossoms will stay tight until there is a day of sun and warmth. Perhaps, the flowers will open a few at a time everyday.

If you are interested in knowing when the crabapples are looking their best, check back to this journal, I will post photos and other information as the spring flowering of trees and shrubs continues over the next few weeks.

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