Praying Mantis Hatch

W first noticed the praying mantis hatching on the evening of March 22nd. The egg case had been laid on a branch of a small sweetgum tree beside the entrance to the greenhouse. We immediately began photographing, thinking that the hatch would be completed in a few hours. However, it took two to three days and I got my best photos during the daylight.

Newly hatched mantids crawled down and hung in a group from the bottom of the egg case. At first they looked very crumpled but would gradually straighten out to look like they do in these photos.

When they were ready, they dropped off onto the ground approximately three feet below. It seemed impossible that any would survive. However I did see one climbing up a branch a day or so later. So at least one survived the fall.

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Daffodils #12: Decoy

We planted Decoy the same year that we planted Jetfire. Decoy hasn’t been as prolific as Jetfire but has done well. It is one of the daffodils that has a truly pink center.


Decoy began blooming on March 9th and bloomed for several weeks.




















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Green Anole: Anolis carolinensis

We have a lot of green anoles around the house. They hibernate during the winter so we normally don’t see them from late fall until spring. This year, however, one has over-wintered in the greenhouse. I saw him one afternoon and, although I had a camera with me, I was busy watering plants and wasn’t able to get the camera turned on an focused before he disappeared. He was much bigger than most of the anoles we normally see. Possibly the result of being able to hunt insects during the winter.


A week or so later, I was making my regular rounds to check on wildflowers – camera in hand – when I encountered him on the outside wall of the greenhouse. He didn’t attempt to run off so I was able to get some shots of him. I normally take a lot when I get the opportunity so I followed him as he mover relatively slowly along the wall of the greenhouse. When he got to the corner, he stopped. He apparently had had enough of being stalked.

He puffed up his body, bobbed his head, and extended his dewlap a couple of times. I was lucky enough to get a shot of the extended dewlap. He’d been a good sport so I let him go about his business with no further interruptions.

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Daffodils #9, #10 and #11

These daffodils were planted last fall. They began blooming on March 7th, 8th and 9th, respectively.

Daffodil #9


















Daffodil #10















Daffodil #11

Canada Goose: Goslings

On the same day as I spotted the Canada goose nest, I rowed further along the shoreline by the group cottages (Segment 10). Since I had checked for other boats at the beginning of the segment and this is an uncomplicated shoreline, I started to row along it without looking around. I’m not sure what caught my attention. I think a gander started to honk an alarm and I looked to my left and was rewarded by the site of a goose and gander with goslings right at the water’s edge.

The chance of getting photos was pretty low but it was worth a shot. I stopped and pulled out my camera. I managed to get these shots. The goose and gander were at the water’s edge with seven goslings.

Understandably they moved up the slope with the goslings scurrying along with them. It is interesting that this pair has goslings already. The other breeding pairs are just beginning to sit nests. This pair is about a month ahead of the other pairs.

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Canada Goose: Nesting

About a week ago, I rowed into an inlet (Segment 9) and startled a gander who honked vociferously at me. He swam to the bank a little further into the inlet and joined a goose on the shore. I didn’t given it another thought.

A few days later, I pulled into the shore in the same inlet and spent some time photographing rhododendron flowers; this is an area that would be challenging to get to on foot. As I pulled away from the shore, I happened to look to the left and found that I had been sitting less than 10 m from the nest.

It's always fascinated me that Canada geese nest in such open locations. In spite of the nest being as exposed as this one, it is really quite well camouflaged. The goose blends into her surroundings by adopting a low profile pose that doesn't expose her light breast and her characteristic white neck patch that is visible in this photo.

The goose is sitting tight now. The gander is nowhere in sight - obviously not hanging around the inlet to give away the location of the nest. I’ll be giving the area a wide berth for the next month or so.
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Piedmont Azalea: Rhododendron canescens

The Piedmont azaleas have been in full bloom at the lake over the last few weeks, making splashes of color at many places around the lake.

This bush is along the lake shore between the campground and the dam (Segment 7). The best view is from the water.

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