3-31 Field Pansy, Bloodroot, better picture Painted Turtle

3-31 Field Pansy, an escape from cultivation, has opened numerous flowers.

Bloodroot opened a single flower this afternoon.

Also, a better Painted Turtle picture than I was able to provide yesterday! John

3-30 Wild Ginger, Painted Turtle

3-30 Wild Ginger has opened a few flowers but has not yet fully unfurled its leaves.

And, today, I saw Painted Turtles basking in the sunlight although not within range for a good picture. John

3-29 Gill-o'er-the-ground, Pussy willow

3-29 Ground Ivy, AKA Gill-o'er-the-ground and Creeping Charlie, has opened an occasional flower

And Pussy Willows have expanded slowly but noticeably. John

3-22 Early Saxifrage

3-22 Early Saxifrage is in flower. Look for it on sun-warmed ledges. John

3-20 Daphne, Ural False Spirea

8-20 Daphne flowers well before it leafs out.

Ural False Spirea leafs out long before it flowers. Both are alien escapes. John

3-12 Beaked Hazel, Hepatica, Black Vulture

3-12 The tiny crimson flowers of Beaked Hazel are opening.

An occasional Hepatica is in flower.

And a Black Vulture has joined the more common turkey vultures in the West River valley. John

3-10 Winter Cutworms

3-10 This morning the fresh snow was littered with the larvae of Large Yellow Underwing moths (Noctua pronuba). This European moth was accidentally introduced into eastern Canada in the late 1970's and has rapidly spread south and west. Its larvae are commonly referred to as "winter cutworms."

3-8 Dandelions, Red Dead Nettle, Chickweed, Myrtle

3-8 Today Dandelions were in flower at two locations.

Red Dead Nettle was just starting its flowering.

Waste places and agricultural fields were dotted with Chickweed.

And Myrtle was putting on a show on at least one sunny bank. John

3-3 winter fireflies, turkey vultures, crocuses

3-3 Today Turkey Vultures were circling over Black Mountain. Last year I first saw one on the 3rd. The year before that Feb. 28th. Winter Firelies were feeding on oozing Hickory sap. This is a fireless firefly species! And, in a neighbor's yard, crocuses were flowering. John