Field Journal for March 14, 2008

Yesterday, I traded a pair of navy slacks for a new perspective on nature. Thankfully, there were no other humans around to happen upon me while I was crawling across the forest floor composing photographs of early blooming wildflowers, emerging Spring leaves, butterflies and a toad. The experience reminded me of an image I saw of Kjell Sandved chest-deep in a bog, camera in hand, capturing a butterfly for his alphabet. I think we would have both looked pretty silly to the casual passer-by.

Though the fruits of my labor shouldn't even be in the same sentence with the word 'Smithsonian,' they're pretty good (if I do say so myself), and they complement my field journal nicely...

Juvenal's Duskywings, Erynnius juvenalis, on Violets,
Viola sp. (I will find out which species and edit here.)

The violets are booming! And getting a lot of attention from some duskywings.

Cardamines, Cardamine bulbosa

The cardamines have peaked and are beginning to fade. (I had no luck getting a Falcate Orangetip to pose for my camera, but they were out in force, visiting both the cardamines and the violets.)

Blueberry bushes. I do not know if they are Vaccinium elliotii or young Vaccinium arboretum. I know both species have been recorded in Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Nature Park. I will probably need to sit down with a dichotomous key to be sure.

The blueberries have just begun to bloom.

Spicebush, Lindera benzoin

Spicebush flowers are opening up.

Pawpaw, Asimina trioba

The Pawpaws are waking up.

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I think it's safe to say Spring has sprung in Shreveport!

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By the way, if the name Kjell Sandved doesn't resonate with you, check out who he is and what he's done here: http://www.butterflyalphabet.com/story.html

Snowy Day

Here is proof that sometimes it does snow in Louisiana.

These images were taken at Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Nature Park in Shreveport, Louisiana on March 7, 2008.

Any evidence that it had ever snowed disappeared about an hour later.