4-30 Spicebush

4-30
Spicebush - so called because its twigs are fragrant when bruised - brightens damp woods, streambanks and pond edges.
And the delicate 5 petaled flowers of Wood Anemone bow under the weight of today's drizzle.
John

Spicebush

Wood Anemone

4-29 Dutchman's-breeches

4-29
Dutchman's-breeches are flowering right on schedule, but this patch of Blue Violets is opening unexpectedly early!
John

Dutchman's-breeches

Blue Violets

4-28 Miterwort

4-28
The tiny snowflake-like flowers of Miterwort rise over paired stem leaves, the ground-hugging brownish flowers of Wild Ginger peek from under fuzzy leaves and Blue Cohosh does a good job of living up to its name.
John

Miterwort

Wild Ginger

Blue Cohosh

4-27 Marsh Marigold

4-27
Marsh Marigold AKA Cowslip, a member of the buttercup clan brightens a seepage area where it is reflected in the shallow water.
John

Marsh Marigold

4-26 Trout Lily

4-26
Trout Lily are starting to flower, a few bluets are poking up, and Mayflowers crown sunny banks and ledges with clusters of pale pink flowers.
John

Trout Lily

Bluet

Mayflower

Mayflower

4-24 Round-leaved Violets

4-24
Round-leaved Violets, the earliest of our many violet species, can be seen flowering in dry woods.
Red Trillium is not far behind.
John

Round-leaved Violet

Red Trillium

4-22 Broad-winged hawk

4-22
Broad-winged hawks that winter in Central and South America are back in New England.
Wild Strawberries have opened a few flowers. (I always find a few ripe berries by late May.)
An angle-winged butterfly called The Grey Comma is flying, but too fast for me to capture a picture.
And a few Spring Beauties are up!
John

Broad-winged hawk

Wild Strawberries

Spring Beauties

4-21 Mourning Cloak Butterfly

4-21
Mourning Cloak butterflies were airborne today. I saw at least four.
One of the Solitary Bees was flitting back and forth across a sandy patch.
And a Pileated Woodpecker was working diligently on its nest cavity.
John

Mourning Cloak butterfly

Pileated Woodpecker excavating a nest cavity

4-20 spring blooms

4-20
Purple Dead Nettle, Gill-o'er-the-ground and Kidney-leaved Buttercup were all flowering today.
John

Purple Dead Nettle

Gill-o'er-the-Ground

Kidney-leaved Buttercup

4-18 Daphne

4-18
 The escaped shrub called Daphne is opening a few flowers.
European Field Pansy, an alien species, seen here propped up with a corn stalk, is also opening flowers.
And a cress? Perhaps Hairy Rock Cress (?) is getting an early start.
John

Daphne

European Field Pansy

Hairy Rock Cress (?)

4-18 Northern Flickers

4-18
There were 3 Northern Flickers at my feeders this morning.
John

4-14 Palm Warblers

4-14
There were 3 Palm Warblers in the birch trees behind my house this morning!
John

4-13 Bloodroot

4-13
Bloodroot is coming up. Like many early spring species, flowers are up and open before leaves unfurl.
John

4-12 Tree Swallows

4-12
Tree Swallows were checking out a nest box in my neighborhood today!
John

4-11 Whitlow Grass

4-11
The basal leaf rosettes of spring Whitlow Grass are purple at first but green up after a few days of warmth and sunlight. Its tiny white flowers are opening now.
John

Whitlow Grass rosettes

Spring Whitlow Grass in flower

4-8 Beaked Hazelnut

4-8
Crimson stigmas project from the female flowers of Beaked Hazelnut. Male catkins hang nearby.
John

4-7 Thimbleweed and Smooth Sumac

4-7
The compound leaves of Smooth Sumac are opening slowly but surely.
And the fluffy seed head of last year's Thimbleweed are still withstanding everything the weather throws at them.
John

Smooth Sumac

seed head of Thimbleweed

4-2 Dandelion

4-2
One rather disgruntled Common Dandelion was peeking up this afternoon. This one was on a sheltered sunny roadside.
John

4-1 Early Saxifrage

4-1
 Along the West River Early Saxifrage is putting in an appearance.
Nearby, a Phoebe and a flock of Golden Crown Kinglets (not pictured) were feeding.
John

Phoebe

Early Saxifrage