Sightings and drying

Yesterday there was a rabbit kitten (apparently that is what baby rabbits are called, or just kits) at the end of the drive at R&GN. Tom says there are a bunch of them (a kindle) living under one of the woodpiles. This one let me get so close that I thought I was going to be able to open the car door up and grab it, but at the last moment it dashed away.

I put out a fresh orange for the orioles, but I have not seen any for a while. Peggy says she hears them in the trees and assumes they are staying close to their pendulous nests.

There was an indigo bunting by the feeder today, though. Beautiful color!

On the other hand, there are things we don't want to sight. The emerald ash borer is a small (1/2 inch long and 1/8 inch wide) bright green beetle that is native to Asia. It was discovered near Detroit, Michigan in 2002 and has since killed more than 15 million ash trees. Large infestations are concentrated in Michigan and Ontario, but smaller infestations have been found in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia. At the intersection of Berry Road and Birchwood, the DNR has put up one of these purple traps. They are baited to catch the critters so that infestations can be prevented. The DNR assures us that the traps will not attract bugs that are not already there, meaning that the trap won't create a new infestation. The traps are placed around on a grid so that they can find out how many (if any) borers are out there.

We also have a problem with gypsy moths, so bad that last summer they closed some nearby state parks. The DNR sprayed for them this year, and so far no closings. I'm not sure what the weather might have to do with any of that.

All the rain we had is supposed to produce a bumper mosquito crop about two weeks later. The irony is that there was so much flooding, some experts think most of the mosquito eggs will have been washed down to Illinois. I guess it's an even trade. The air pollution from Chicago drifts up the shoreline of Lake Michigan and messes with the air quality in Milwaukee. Now Milwaukee may be getting its revenge.

Meanwhile, today there is only one flood warning for Sauk County, and it is for the Baraboo River in Baraboo, due to fall below flood stage later today.