Big Year Week 12

March 26-April 1

I've been a complete slacker for the past couple of weeks, but I did manage to grab a few new species in this the first week of spring.  The photo below was taking in my kitchen.  This is the Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella).  This South American native is the adult form of the pesky wax-worm like caterpillar that frequents your flour containers.

Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella)

Our second species of the week comes to us via one of my house cats who left this White-Footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) as a present for us.  

White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus)

Thanks to some baiting with bread, I was finally able to get an American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) to come to near the window.  Said to be one of the most intelligent of all birds, American Crows appear to be making a comeback after being hit hard with outbreaks of West Nile Virus.

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

The first flower of the year appeared on March 30.  Here is the Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis). A member of the lily family, this is a species that is native to northern Europe, but I think that it's fairly common product in gardening centers.  These bulbs were presumably planted my home's previous owner sometime in the 1960's-80's, and they are the first thing to flower every spring.

Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)

Another sure sign that spring has arrived is the return of the Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis).  Although we don't have habitat for Sandhills to use as a stopping point, I do see and hear them flying overhead every spring on their way back northward for the summer.

Migrating Flock of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis)

Week 12 running totals:

Birds:  20
Mammals:  3
Insects:  2
Vascular Plants:  1