What's Blooming

Over the past two weeks, the land seemed to be straining toward spring. The chorus frogs were performing their annual concert. A single round lobed hepatica was blooming at Audubon Acres in the eastern reaches of Chattanooga and a single bloodroot at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center here on the west side.

This week, the flowers have popped and given the landscape their brief glowy. Here are some photos from a walk at Audubon Acres.

Bloodroot

Sharp-lobed Hepatica

Little Brown Jug

Ground Ivy

A list of some plants sighted at Audubon Acres yesterday and today: 

Birds-eye Speedwell
Bloodroot
Fork-leafed Toothwort
Ground-ivy
Henbit Deadnettle
Lesser Celandine
Rue Anemone
Round-lobed Hepatica
Sensitive Fern (dried fertile frond)
Sharp-lobed Hepatica
Star Chickweed
Virginia Springbeauty
The Yellow Trout Lilies and Virginia Bluebells were in leaf but not in flower. 

I have seen a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks circling and calling, but they seem to have settled down now. I also heard a Barred Owl calling yesterday. Both species nest on the property.