4-3 Daphne

4-3
Daphne has been flowering for quite a while and is now starting to leaf out.
This shrub is native to Europe but has escaped and become naturalized here.
John

4-2 Red Maples

4-2

The flowering of Red Maples gives the hills a rosy glow.

John

4-1 Red Dead Nettle

4-1
Red Dead Nettle, AKA Purple Dead Nettle, is starting to flower. This species can be an agricultural pest, but in early spring it adds a bit of welcome color to fields.
John

3-31 Honeysuckle

3-31
Some non-native shrubs, such as Honeysuckles and Autumn Olives, are leafing out, and Woodchucks are enjoying the newly greening grass.
John

This 'chuck blends well with the bare earth and dead leaves - except for its black tail!

3-30 Bald Eagle

3-30
While mated pairs of Bald Eagles are busy incubating eggs this immature bird was wandering along the Connecticut River. Bald Eagles take about 5 years to reach maturity.
John

3-29 Ice out

3-29
Ice is out at Sunset Lake. Records for the last 21 years show only two earlier ice-out dates: 3-19-2013 and 3-25-2016. Last year ice persisted until the end of April (between the 27th and the 30th). Around the third week of April is average fro ice out there.
John

3-28 Poplar catkins

3-28
Poplar catkins have been opening for several days, but it took me until today to find a limb low enough for a decent photo.
A Great Blue Heron posed nicely on an eye level perch!
John

3-29 Wood Frog

3-29
Wood Frogs were croaking lustily in a wet area near the Retreat Meadows today. In 2019 and 2018 I didn't hear or see any until 4-13!
John

3-26 Speckled Alder

3-26
Yesterday there was a Kingfisher, which refused to pose for a picture, along the West River.
Speckled Alders are in flower. The prominent catkins are male. The little bud-like catkins female.
And, although delayed by the latest snow, Bloodroot is now opening.
John

Speckled Alder catkins

Bloodroot

On a large hemlock tree, I saw a pair of Pilleated  woodpeckers both drilling on the same tree.  I just did some research and learned they mate for life.

3-24 Random beauty

3-24
A bit of random beauty seen during a recent ramble.
John

3-23 Sumac

3-23
The unfurling leaves of a Sumac, perhaps Smooth Sumac, brighten an otherwise drab thicket.
And dandelion-like leaves and tiny white flowers make Shepherd's Purse identifiable.
John

Sumac leaves

Shepherd's Purse

3-22 Gill-o'er-the-Ground

3-22
Gill-o'er-the-Ground, AKA Ground Ivy and Creeping Charlie was flowering sparingly down amid the grasses and leaves on a sunny bank.
And Daffodils were enjoying heat reflected from the front of the elementary school.
John

3-21 Pussy Willow

3-21
Pussy Willow, Salix discolor, opens its catkins long before leafing out. Usually in late winter or early spring.
John

3-20 Woodcock

3-20
Woodcock are back in the fields around my house.
John

3-20 Red eft

3-20
A red-eft - the land phase of the aquatic Red-spotted Newt - was headed back to the water today.
Also, an American Toad (not pictured) had tried unsuccessfully to cross the road I was walking on.
John

3-19 larvae on snow

3-19
Atop this morning's wet snow, I counted 7 or 8 of these larvae. Perhaps cutworms?
John

3-18 Painted Turtle

3-18
One Painted Turtle was basking on a log this afternoon!
John

3-16 Early Saxifrage

3-16
This afternoon a diligent search of sun-warmed ledges turned up a few clumps of Early Saxifrage.
John

3-15 Garter snake

3-15
Despite today's cold winds a garter snake emerged from its hibernaculum to bask on sun-warmed oak leaves.
John