May 24th. Larger Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor).

 

 

 

 

 

May 25th. False Solomon's-seal (Smilacina racemosa).

 

A Snipe Fly (Rhagionidae; Rhagio sp.).

 

 

 

Sensitive Fern (Onaclea sensibilis).

 

 

 

Pond Lily (Nuphar variegatum).

 

More Pink Lady's-slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule).

 

 

 

Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium sp.).

 

Stargrass (Hypoxis hirsuta).

 

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) seedlings.

 

A Cantharid Beetle (Family Cantharidae).

 

Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea).

 

A Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). Note how the leaflets have a "toe" like a Christmas stocking.

 

Sensitive Fern (Onaclea sensibilis).

 

May 26th. Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) have built a nest in a small maple beside the trail.

 

(Good spotting, Sue!)

 

May 28th. More of the Larger Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) are blooming.

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) with a very large Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus).

 

The heron repeatedly dropped the fish and re-speared it, whether to try and break it into smaller pieces or to crush its bones I couldn't say.

 

It's certainly hard to imagine the heron swallowing that fish whole...

 

...but it was trying.

 

May 29th. A Spreadwing Damselfly (Lestes sp.) resting on my tripod.

 

A pair of Yellow Warblers (Dendroica petechia) perched near their nest. The male (above) has a striped breast...

 

...while the female's breast is pure yellow.

 

 

 

The male was bringing insects to the nest so presumably the eggs have hatched.

 

A pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) with a single "teenaged" gosling (resting, at left).

 

 

 

Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) were basking on warm traprock in the late afternoon.

 

King Devil Hawkweed (Hieracium pratense).

 

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos).

 

Yarrow (Achillea millifolium).

 

Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum).