May 16th. Pink Lady's-slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule) are just about fully open now.

 

They should last nearly a month.

 

Nodding Trillium (Trillium cernuum). Lots of it between Old Colchester Road and Grayville Road, but subtle...

 

...because the flowers "nod" below the leaves.

 

 

 

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum).

 

Rue-anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides).

 

 

 

Wild Oats or Sessile Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia).

 

Common Buttercup (Ranunculus acris).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crab Apple (Malus coronaria).

 

 

 

 

 

Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) were out by 7A.M. with sun and temps already in the 60s.

 

 

 

A Stinkpot (Sternothaerus odoratus), a mud turtle. First of the year.

 

May 17th. One of several Green Frogs (Rana clamitans) in a trailside ditch east of Route 207.

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) facing last year's abandoned nest.

 

 

 

What's that in the crotch just below the old nest?

 

A Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), tail up, in its nest.

 

I don't recall a year when I've seen so many Gray Catbirds.

 

 

 

Red Trilliums (Trillium erectum) are about done flowering.

 

 

 

 

 

Fiddleheads of Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum). Thanks for the ID, Terry.

 

 

 

Violets (Viola sp.).

 

 

 

I was about to discard this photo because of the black threads on the petals when I realized they were the legs of a Crane Fly (Family Tipulidae). See its head and black eye between the petals on the right?

 

 

 

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) seed head.

 

I turned back when I reached the power lines...

 

...after photographing these Bluets (Houstonia caerulea) on the trail under them.