Winter Blues

One of the things I don't like about winter here in Indiana is the lack of the beautiful color that accompanies the other seasons. No spring or summer flowers. No fall leaves. No brightly colored warblers. Bummer, bummer, bummer. So today I am going to show some "blue" images to help lighten up the winter doldrums.

Eastern Bluebird eggs, Sialia sialis, in one of our nest boxes. We had quite a few successful broods this year with lots of little ones gracing our park with their antics.

Wild Iris, Iris versicolor, from our wetland at Southeastway. We only have a few scattered throughout the wetland and around the pond, so I always look forward to finding them in May.

Virginia Bluebells, Mertensia virginica, can be viewed at Eagle Creek Park, Town Run Park, Holliday Park and Southwestway Park. Such a delicate flower and a real delight to see a whole hillside covered with these beauties.

Butterfly Pea, Clitoria mariana, is a rarer plant from Shawnee State Forest in Southern Ohio. It has such a unique shape to the blossoms and it forms a pea-like seedpod.

Cuckoo Wasp, from the Chrysis genus, a pretty common summer and fall visitor. I love the iridescence of this very docile creature. Depending on the light, it would shimmer green or bright blue as it moved about in my hand.
Downy Gentian or Prairie Gentian, Gentiana puberulenta, has threatened status in Indiana and endangered status in Ohio. Because there are collectors out there, lurking, I will not give the location where this is found. I love its "Pepsi can blue" color. Such a deep blue, you just don't find this very often in nature.