April 1st.  Spring Azures (Celastrina ladon) are flying.  This is a male, based on the narrow black forewing margins.

 

This is the typical cryptic pose, hiding the blue upper surfaces and blending in with the substrate.  Vivid in flight, they land and vanish - but are wary and fly up if you approach.

 

The Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) buds are starting to open.

 

April 2nd.  Spring colors in the trees near the United Distillers chimney.

 

Two female Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) settled on the marsh for just a minute or two.

 

 

 

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis).

 

Male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoniceus) posturing...

 

...and calling.

 

Tree Swallows took turns perching on a favorite dead tree...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and exploring a favorite nest hole just below.

 

 

 

Inspection complete...

 

...time to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is fully in bloom now.

 

Lots of insects around if you look close.  This is an Assassin Bug nymph (Family Reduviidae) on Spicebush flowers. The bug's red eye can be seen against the stem.

 

A non-biting fly, also on Spicebush.

 

Snails appear to be feeding on the jelly surrounding Wood Frog egg masses.

 

Snails can travel on the underside of the water surface.  (This boggles my mind.)

 

Presumably a case-bearing Caddisfly larva of a kind that uses hollow grass stems for shelter.

 

These Hemipteran nymphs skittered across the water surface.

 

 

 

A Green Frog (Rana clamitans) in a trailside ditch.