New landmarks on the Field

Last Thursday, there was a dedication ceremony for the Walker's newest outdoor sculptures, Jim Hodges' Untitled (2011). I'm curious about how these structures will alter the micro-environment for birds, plants, and insects.

Panoramic view of the newly installed sculptures
Photo courtesy Greg Beckel's blog post, Walker Art Center

Meanwhile, in the Garden

I've recently seen a few things in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden that are worth noting.

What: American Robin with partial leucism
Where: by the grove where the Pierre Huyghe chimes are installed
When: Wednesday and Thursday, April 18 and 19, both times seen in the morning
Observer: Abbie and Lindsay

Photo by Steve Burt, Flickr

What: Red Admiral Butterflies
Where: the Arlene Grossman Memorial Arobr
When: Wednesday, April 18, about 9: 20 am
Observer: Abbie and Lindsay

Photo by David Maher, Flickr

What: Chipping Sparrow
Where: atop a pine tree, near the Arbor at the north edge of the Garden
When: Friday, April 20, about 8:20 am
Observer: Abbie

It's Lilac Time

May  12, 2011

April 13, 2012

What: Lilacs flowering. Though in other parts of town I've seen lilac buds opening since about April 7, these individuals were slower to flower.
Where: At the southwest corner of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and across the street, these lilac shrubs are part of the condo building's meticulous landscaping.
When: The photo on the right was taken this year, on Friday, April 13 at about 11:45 am. The photo at left was taken last year. The discrepancy in timing (about 4 weeks) is just one of several indicators of the early and fast-paced spring we've had this year.
Observer: Abbie
Conditions: Overcast, cool, and precipitation sprinkled throughout the day

From bloom to seed

What: Today is the first day I've seen dandelion flowers gone to seed. When I spotted the season's first open blooms on April 2, I made a promise to record the timing of the next stage.
Where: These tall stems were growing along the west edge of Cowles Conservatory in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
When: Wednesday, April 11, at about 3:30 pm
Observer: Abbie
Conditions: Sunny but brisk. Last night brought frost.

It's in the air

What: Male cones on this conifer are full of pollen. With a little jostle, they release pale yellow puffs.
Observers: Abbie and Rachel
Where: West edge of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Date/Time: Thursday, April 5 at 4 pm
Conditions: Sunny, just under 60 degrees, slight wind

Anti-freeze with Butterfly Wings

Photo by Lisa Brown, Flickr

What: A mourning cloak butterfly landed in the sun and remained still long enough for me to notice its wings were faded with tattered edges. (Though maybe not quite as damaged as the individual pictured above.)This observation made me wonder about this butterfly's life cycle and here's what I found out. . .

Mourning cloak adults can live ten to eleven months, making them one of our longest-lived butterflies. The adults we see in early spring have spent the winter in a kind of hibernation state. To stay alive through the Minnesota winter, they find a protected place and produce a chemical like anti-freeze. When temperatures warm (say 50 degrees or so), these individuals revive and look for a mate to begin the next generation.

Where: Bryn Mawr Meadows

Observer: Abbie

Date/Time: Wednesday, March 28, 5:10 pm

Winged Insects

What: While this observation might garner only disbelief, I tell you that I saw a mosquito. A single individual.
Where: This mosquito was in the mud room/vestibule space at my home, landing for moments at a time on the window pane or the door's moulding.
Observer: Abbie
Date/Time: Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 11:33 am
Conditions: 56 degrees, overcast and virtually windless.

What: Butterflies! First, I see this orange one, whose wings had a distinct shape making me think it might be a comma. Later, I saw what I think was a mourning cloak.

Where: Outside my home

Observer: Abbie

Date/Time: Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 1:30 pm

Conditions: Sunny