May 1st. A Crab Apple (Malus coronaria) will bloom this year in Raymond Brook Marsh.

 

Sessile Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia).

 

 

 

Lots of Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) in bloom but very few berries reach maturity.

 

 

 

Grape (Vitus sp.) leaf buds are starting to open. Grape Epimenis moths (Psychomorpha epimenis) should appear any day.

 

Eastern Tent Caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) have begun spinning webs on cherry. (You can tell it's cherry by the horizontal lenticels on the bark at the upper right.) The caterpillars' emergence coincides with the arrival of Baltimore Orioles which feed on them.

 

 

 

Common Wild Strawberries (Fragraria virginiana) are blooming now.

 

May 2nd. Oaks (Quercus sp.) are leafing out...

 

...and flowering.

 

Ferns are unfurling.

 

 

 

 

 

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arasaema triphyllum).

 

Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum pubescens) is just a few inches tall now. It will be two to eight feet tall by the time it blooms.

 

Red Maples (Acer rubrum) have set seed already.
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May 3rd. Crab Apple (Malus coronaria) blossoms are starting to open.
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Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) are back in numbers.

 

A male Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) far across the marsh - taken during the brief loan of a Tamron 500 mm lens from Photo Connection of Colchester.

 

Shadbush or Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea).

 

Pink Lady-slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule) are in bud.

 

 

 

May 6th. Something's up with the resident geese. Can you see it?

 

They have a gosling!

 

Yellow Pond Lilies (Nuphar variegata) are blooming.