April 22nd. A male Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) on the barbed wire top of the Juliano Pools fence.

 

Almost certainly, this is the same bird that has been perching on nearby car mirrors and attacking his reflection in the window.

 

His mate was nearby, as she was when he attacked the car windows.

 

 

 

I spent a little time exploring downstream of Grayville Falls.

 

A toppled tree's horizontal trunk has given rise to multiple vertical trunks.

 

 

 

Stream erosion around the roots probably caused the original tree to fall over.

 

Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) flowers are starting to open.

 

 

 

Wild Oats or Sessile Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia) buds are ready to open.

 

Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) flower buds are swelling.

 

 

 

 

 

Rushing water over a low rock dam.

 

Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) almost open.

 

Falso Hellebore (Veratrum veride).

 

 

 

Bark Beetle larval feeding tunnels. They start small and grow wider as the larvae mature.

 

 

 

April 23rd. A chilly 27 degrees. Only the Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris) out and about at the marsh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

East of Route 207, only Ring-necked Ducks around. This pair motored over to an island...

 

 

 

...clambered up...

 

...and after some frenzied grooming...

 

...settled down for a nap in the sunshine.

 

April 25th. Mix of clouds and sun early; 30 degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

A female Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bullhead or Pond Lily (Nuphar vareigatum) pads are coming to the surface.

 

The pair of Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris) paddeling away from me.

 

The female...

 

 

 

 

 

...and the male.

 

 

 

One of two male Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)...

 

...and the other one.

 

 

 

There were several pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) on the north side of the marsh.

 

Too close for comfort in this case of an unhappy male.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally calm.