April 17th. Spring Azures (Celastrina ladon) flying and courting.  This is a female.  Males have a dark border on fore- and hindwings.

 

 

 

More often they rest with wings closed, making them very difficult to spot.

 

 

 

 

 

Eastern Tent Caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) have just hatched and begun building their webs.

 

They're barely 3mm long.

 

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is blooming.  Teeny flowers.  Scratch the bark with your fingernail and sniff.  Nifty spicy aroma.

 

 

 

 

 

A pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis).

 

 

 

Back out for an afternoon walk west from Old Colchester Road past Grayville Road.  Along the way, some nifty early wildflowers including Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trout-Lily (Erythronium americanum).

 

 

 

 

 

Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) is in bud.

 

Ramps or Wild Leeks (Allium tricoccum). Onion-like flowers appear after the leaves die back.

 

Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis).  First snake of the year for me.

 

 

 

April 18th.  Common Grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) were particularly vocal this morning.

 

 

 

Several Yellow-Rumped Warblers (Dendroica coronata) around.  They rarely stay still.

 

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West of the Brownstone Bridge over River Road there are several nice patches of Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens).  Evergreen leaves, early fragrant flowers, uncommon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 19th.  Nifty little beetle on Willow.  Looks sorta like a Ladybird Beetle but no...

 

...it's an American Willow Leaf Beetle (Chrysomela knabi, Family Chrysomelidae).

 

April 20th.  Hoping someone will help ID this scrawny shrub. 

 

Cherry, Plum, Pear?  Rosaceae at least.

 

 

 

A pair of hawks.  Red-shouldered maybe?