July 3rd.  Highbush Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) have begun ripening, a few at a time.

 

 

 

July 4th.  Canada Lilies (Lilium canadense) are opening.  Fireworks for the 4th?

 

 

 

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) chicks just fledged.

 

July 10th.  Lush green morning after overnight showers.

 

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) sitting higher on the nest than before.

 

No wonder, that's a baby's beak poking out below her.

 

July 11th.  Why did the Great Blue Heron cross the trail?

 

BIG bird.

 

Safe on the other side.

 

July 12th.  Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina).

 

Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis).

 

The rest of the snake.

 

Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus).

 

A female Wood Duck (Aix sponsa).

 

A brief afternoon stop at Cranberry Bog.  Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria).

 

A family of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) resting in shade.

 

Roughly half the Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) on the bog.

 

 

 

Tall Meadow-Rue (Thalictrum polygamum).

 

July 13th.  Two beaks visible on the Robin's nest.

 

Shinleaf (Pyrola elliptica).

 

 

 

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).

 

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).

 

July 15th.  Hazy, hot, and humid at 7:00 A.M.  And buggy, did I mention buggy?  (Deer flies.)

 

Lots of Water Lilies (Nymphaea odorata).

 

 

 

 

 

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).

 

A young Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

 

Chestnuts (Castanea sp.) blooming at the Route 207 trail crossing.

 

Male flowers are past their prime (and not stinky).

 

July 17th.  I brought the big camera out today, to catch up on some close-up views of flowers.  Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis).

 

 

 

 

 

Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris).

 

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata).

 

 

 

Female Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) on it's egg mass which has hair from her abdomen embedded in it.  This has been an outbreak year affecting mostly oaks and birch.  The section of the trail I walk most frequently in Amston has been only lightly affected.

 

Common St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum).

 

Rabbit's-foot Clover (Trifolium arvense).

 

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).  Remarkable up close.

 

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis).

 

The first Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) of summer.

 

Halictid Bee (perhaps Augochloropsis metallica) on Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba).

 

 

 

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).

 

 

 

An ancient (in butterfly years) Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).  Territorial; I've seen this butterfly in the same spot on three days.  Most likely a male, gathering minerals from the trail surface that will be passed to the female during mating.

 

Another young Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).