July 1st.  I found the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) family last seen at Raymond Brook Marsh on June 22nd.

 

 

 

They've moved to the pond on the Colchester Spur, adjacent to the former United Distillers building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They've grown a lot.

 

July 2nd.  Jewelweed or Spotted Touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis).  Nectar is hidden in the spur at the back of the flower...

 

...requiring pollinators to crawl past the reproductive stamens and pistils to reach it.  However, bumblebees often cheat by chewing holes in the side of the flower near the nectar-filled spur.

 

It gets its common name for the habit of its seed pods...

 

...to burst open and fling out the seeds when touched.  Imagine an exploding banana.

 

July 3rd.  Several groups of young Woodducks (Aix sponsa).  First group nearly mature.

 

 

 

 

 

Second group younger and still trailing "Mom".

 

 

 

This may or may not be the same younger group, but seen on the other side of the trail.

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius).

 

On the Colchester Spur, the Canada Goose family came down for a swim.

 

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

 

A freshly opened Canada Lily (Lilium canadense).

 

Queen-Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) umbel just beginning to open.

 

A Snowy Geometer (Eugonobapta nivosaria).

 

Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela).

 

A Common Green Bottle Fly (Family Calliphoridae, Lucilia sericata).

 

Bumblebees go wild for Carolina Rose pollen.

 

Evening Lychnis (Lychnis alba).

 

July 4th.  Teaching moment for the Woodduck (Aix sponsa) family?

 

July 5th.  The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is still on its nest.

 

More Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense) blooming now.

 

July 6th.  A double or triple Day-lily (Hemerocallis fulva).  Natural day-lilies are single; this must be an escaped or planted ornamental.

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow Loosestrife or Swamp Candles (Lysimachia terrestris).

 

Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum polygamum).

 

Bumblebee on White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba).

 

The Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) family makes its way down to Distillery Pond each morning...

 

...pausing to feed and groom along the way.

 

 

 

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

 

July 7th.  A misty morning; pure humidity.  A White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), far across the marsh, or what was marsh but now is rapidly transforming to wet meadow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first few berries on the Highbush Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) have ripened.