Over the past few day, I have encountered a lot of flora and fauna that are mysteries to me.
    At the risk of showing my stupidity, I am asking for help in IDing these things.
    The above plant (?) is on the way to Blue Heron Pond at the Celery Farm. It's an orange thing coming out of the ground, and there were a lot of them.
   Next was a bug on a lily pad at Hawk Mountain.

Finally, this yucky yellow stuff was on the mulch in my front yard yesterday.  It's like the mulch sneezed.

   The legendary Loch Appert Monster was seen again this week, cruising the shallows by the Warden's Watch.

The creature was so large that the 400mm lens could only capture the tail end.

   The calendar is finally catching up with reality, Summer is here.

   The Celery Farm has definitely settled into its summer rhythms, with the egrets and herons plying Lake Appert for food.

   There are also plenty of young ones around, from fawns to bunny rabbits.
   This doe, followed by a fawn, were walking down the path the other day. I grabbed a camera and shot through the window...

    I've had videos of baby owls, baby ducks, and baby woodchucks, so why not baby rabbits?     
   This guy and his mom are terrorizing the garden, but is such fun to watch.    
    And he gives me an excuse to quote Elmer Fudd.
    I hope he does not become a Happy Meal for our nearby family of screech owls.
    Sorry about the run on baby animal videos, but 'tis the season.

On Monday, Fred Weber found an adult Little Blue Heron at (where else) Blue Heron Pond around 9 a.m.
   I went looking for it during lunch and saw it fly past (left to right) the Pirie Platform at 12:45.
   I then walked over to the Scout Platform where I saw it resting in the marsh until I left at 1.
   Editor's note: This is likely the 170th species Fred has seen at the Celery Farm so far this year. Wow.