Ahhhhh Spring in Minnesota! ...

I live in Washington County and am surrounded by parks, ponds, lakes, and wetlands.

When the warm weather finally arrived last week - the frog symphony began. Omg it gives me goose bumps. You don’t realize how much you miss it all Winter until they start their serenade. Geez I should see if my sleep app that has white noise and falling rain sounds also has frog symphony!

Wednesday I helped my first painted turtle of the season cross the road. This weekend I will put out my inexpensive “Turtle Crossing” signs on the road by me that goes between two big ponds with lots of turtle traffic. City workers remove the signs but I keep putting them back, haven’t been caught yet. I grew up on black-&-white kaiju movies and for some reason loved Gamera the most, hence my passion for hard shells

Also Wednesday I found momma Robin built a nest under my porch again and already has three blue eggs in there! I put a plastic lid on the porch over her nest so she doesn’t get too wet in the rain.

This is the third year we have a nesting pair of Osprey in the park down the road. The huge pond they are on is full of muskrat, geese, and ducks nesting. It’s really crazy. The pond will be empty by the time the Osprey chicks fledge.

The Pileateds are back. They never really disappear from my hood but their numbers increase and we hear and see them every day now.

The Hawk wars should start very soon. Every year they try to find nesting sites here but fierce bands of smaller birds chase them off. It only lasts about a week but all the squawking is really exciting!

Cleaning both Hummingbird and Oriole feeders now. I’ve been tracking the Oriole’s arrival at my house for 18-years, they have consistently arrived within the same 48-hours every year, average is May 13. They are most vocal when they first arrive and before momma drops her eggs, then they quiet down to avoid attention. Doing yard work to Oriole song is like the best thing ever.

My girlfriend lives in Hennepin County and often calls me Shrek. I grumble and sneer but she knows I love it

Thanks Ma Nature for soothing my funk!

What are some of your favorite parts of Spring in Minnesota?