Bees today

Our beekeeper was here today to check the hives, and to add extra boxes for storage of honey.  Bees do not like to feel crowded, which is a swarming stimulus.

The hives are all opened.

Trays are checked for honey, pollen, brood, or empty.

Making space in boxes by adding empty trays.  Strong colonies are given more room for honey.

Checking for queen cells, which would indicate crowding and possible swarming.

Using the spacer.

Drones on a hand.

When the checking is finished the hives are bigger, and the bees are making more honey, and all is well for today.

A Day in the Sun

A slightly different view of the Cherry Allee.

The same old view of the Japanese bridge that never seems to get old.

Out in the Cherry Allee.

The way to the picnic grove.

Just another beautiful tree.

The community center on a day in the sun.

Is it Spring yet?

Must be Spring because the daffodils have all bloomed along the Loop Trail and the Shady Ramble.

The bluebells look lovely.

Redbud in bloom behind M.

Dutch lily, which is the flower of Montgomery County?

Shadbush behind my apartment.

On my patio, a Junco and a White-throated sparrow with 3 Chipping Sparrows.  The Junco and White-throats are winter birds.

Here the Chipping Sparrows make a ring around a Goldfinch.

There are 8 birds in this photo, and at one time I had 7 Chipping Sparrows on the patio.  

Earth Day

I went to Peace Valley Park this morning to celebrate Earth Day.

There were the usual school busloads of children there.

Many under the tent, I hope, experiencing the beauty of the day.

I found a quiet bench where I could reflect on this lovely day.

The silence was broken by the song of a cardinal.

As well as the white-throated sparrows.

The goldfinch was busy chewing on sunflower seeds.

The barn swallows were swooping through the air.

I bet you can hear this red-wing blackbird singing his kon-ka-reeeee.
What did you do on Earth Day?

Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve

I took a late morning walk at Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve on Swedesford Road.

It was very quiet, except for the noise of the construction at the headquarters.

The sky was exceptionally blue.

I wonder what kind of a birdhouse is that!

There is always a song sparrow singing.

As I was leaving I spotted this tree swallow pair on a bird house.

The bluebird said, "Whose house is it?"

"Mine!" said the swallow.

First Warbler

Today we went birding at Willow Lake Farm.

We walked the many paths there.

We heard many more birds than we saw.

Mockingbird

We then went to Trewellyn Creek.

Again we heard, but finally got a glimpse of this flicker.

Downy woodpecker

A pair of nuthatches building a nest.

But the best of all was this first warbler of the season for us.

These yellow-rumped warblers were flitting through the trees.

Cherry Trees and More

We start our campus tour in the courtyard outside the Library and Abington Dining Room.

We continue down Main Street to another courtyard.

Of course, the magnificent trees on the way to Fitness.

They have dropped petals in the pool.

The magnolia at "C" courtyard.

A close-up look at a branch.

Did you notice last year's bird's nest in the star magnolia outside Fitness?

Star magnolia branch.

Japanese bridge.

There are now 6 beehives in the meadow.  I am sure that the bees are enjoying at the flowering trees here at Foulkeways.