5-8 Speedwell

5-8
Germander speedwell, Celandine and Japanese Barberry, all aliens, chose today to start flowering.
John

Germander Speedwell

Celandine

Japanese Barberry

5-6 Violets

5-6
Ovate-leaved Violets, Canada Violets, Southern Wood Violets and Long-spurred Violets are among the many violet species now flowering.
John

Ovate-leaved Violets

Canada Violets

Southern Wood Violets

Long-spurred Violets

5-5 Clintonia

5-5
Clintonia and Painted Trillium are flowering in damp woods.
Pin cherries are brightening dry edges and waste places.
John

Clintonia

Painted Trillium

Pin Cherry

5-4 Hummingbird

5-4
Male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are drifting back into the area.
John

5-3 Downy Yellow Violets

5-3
Downy Yellow Violets are flowering.
A few red-berried Elders are also starting their season.
And Wood Anemones are open but reluctant to turn their faces skyward in the rain.
John

Downy Yellow Violet

Red berried Elder

Wood Anemone

5-1 Cypress Spurge

5-1
Cypress Spurge, a garden escape, is starting to flower.
John

4-30 Small-flowered Crowfoot

4-30
Small-flowered Crowfoot and Shepherd's Purse were flowering today.
John

Small-flowered Crowfoot

Shepherd's Purse

4-29 Jack-in-the-Pulpit

4-29
Jack-in-the-Pulpit are up and toothworts are in full flower.
Mourning Cloak butterflies are flying.
A loon was on Sunset Lake this morning, but too far out for pictures.
John

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Toothwort

Mourning Cloak butterfly

4-28 Goldthread

4-28
Goldthread and Dwarf Ginseng dot the forest floor. Shadbush brightens thickets, field edges and river banks.
Also seen but not pictured: an Osprey moving up the West River.
John

Goldthread

Dwarf Ginseng

Shadbush

4-26 Wild Columbine

4-26
Wild Columbine is coloring sun warmed ledges.
John

4-25 American Fly Honeysuckle

4-25
American Fly Honeysuckle is opening a few of its paired, pale yellow flowers.
The large infertile perimeter flowers of Hobblebush are open. The tiny fertile flowers in the center will open soon.
Virginia Bluebells, a garden escape, have taken root on a nearby sunny bank and are happily flowering.
John

American Fly Honeysuckle

Hobblebush

Virginia Bluebells

4-25 Sweet Gale

4-25
The lustrous red male catkins of Sweet Gale color wet areas. Female cones are sometimes, but not always, on separate bushes.
Thyme-leaved Speedwell's tiny flowers fleck lawns and grassy margins. They can be either blue or white.
The white variety of Common blue Violet is opening on lawns and in fields.
John

Sweet Gale

Thyme-leaved Speedwell

Common Blue Violet

4-23 Golden Saxifrage

4-23
Golden Saxifrage, AKA Water Carpet, is in flower.
A few Northern White Violets are open.
The dangling pale yellow flowers of Wild Oats can be found.
Bluets, AKA Quaker Ladies, are ready to carpet lawns and other grassy areas.
John

Golden Saxifrage

Northern White Violets

Wild Oats

Bluets

4-22 Green Heron

4-22
At the Retreat Meadows a Green Heron sat atop a nearly submerged fence post.
On the east side of town, Trailing Arbutus, Garlic Mustard and Wild Strawberries are starting to flower.
Bumblebee queens are foraging and seeking out nest sites.
John

Green Heron

Trailing Arbutus, AKA Mayflower

Garlic Mustard

Strawberry flower

4-21 Trout Lily

4-21
Trout Lily, AKA Adder's Tongue, AKA Dog Tooth Violet, is flowering in warm sheltered nooks.
Squirrel corn is up in rich soils.
On sunny ledges Miterwort's lacy snowflakes rise above moss and damp.
John

Trout Lily

Squirrel Corn

Miterwort

4-20 Red Trillium

4-20
Red Trilliums are opening although these were bent beneath the weight of rain drops.
March Marigolds can be seen in seepage areas and in standing water.
Round-leaved Yellow Violets opened a few of their tiny blossoms today.
John

Red Trillium

Marsh Marigold

Round-leaved Yellow Violet

4-19 Wild Ginger

4-19
On a high sunny ledge Wild Ginger's carrion red flowers are open.
A few Spring Beauties can be found on the forest floor.
Tower Mustard graces ledges and waste places.
John

Wild Ginger

Spring Beauties

Tower Mustard

4-18 Field Pansy

4-18
Field Pansies are trying to open a few flowers, but need some sun to finish the job.
John

Squirrel Hanging by Her Fingernails

A gray squirrel got caught in our squirrel-proof bird-feeder. I pried the feeding louver off, but she was still caught by one toe or claw. She alternately squirmed and quieted. Squirming caused cries of pain. Eventually she freed herself and bounded off.

Cheryl Wilfong