Spring is here, but only for a few more hours. We saw some nice green-up this week, with temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s. Tonight, we’re supposed to get 5-7 inches of snow along the Platte River and as much as a foot and a half up at the Niobrara Valley Preserve. Next week? More warm weather.
I did my best to enjoy the warm weather this week. Between prescribed fires, I got my camera out of the bag a few times, and found both flowers and invertebrates (or at least one) to photograph.
Clik here to view.
Fringed puccoon (Lithospermum incisum) was popping out of the ground this week.
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I rescued this leopard frog from fire as it was hopping into danger during our prescribed burn this week.
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Rosettes of fourpoint evening primrose (Oenothera rhombipetala) keep some color through the winter, but their winter red is transitioning to green now.
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I spotted this juvenile wolf spider scooting through a patch of bare sand and it sat still just long enough for me to photograph it.
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Sun sedge (Carex heliophila) started to bloom on Thursday. I know that specifically because I checked on it Tuesday and Wednesday, desperately hoping for some color to photograph. By midday on Thursday, it was finally starting to bloom on the south-facing slopes of hills at our Platte River Prairies.
