July 11th. Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)...

 

 

 

...and another one.

 

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta).

 

Yoga pose?

 

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis). A great year for them.

 

A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus lodovicianus). First I've seen since spring.

 

 

 

Massive seed crushing beak.

 

A young Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

 

A single flower of Showy Tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense). Full inflorescence is a raceme.

 

Pea Family, Fabaceae.

 

 

 

Highbush Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are finally ripening. I had my first sweet one (after three tart ones).

 

Fruits of Carrion Flower (Smilax herbacea) will turn blue-black as they ripen.

 

The vine was twined among the blueberries.

 

 

 

 

 

Poison Sumac (Toxocodendron vernix) is blooming. (Only a few short shrubs at the marsh.)

 

There's a Sweat Bee (Agapostemon virescens) at the upper left of the flower cluster.

 

Bumble Bees (Family Bombidae) were working the Sumac flowers.

 

Fragrant Water Lilies (Nymphaea odorata).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canada Lily (Lilium canadense) tipped up to see inside the flower's bell.

 

This flower is past prime with most of its pollen gone.

 

Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata).

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria).

 

July 12th. Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) is blooming.

 

Very odd flowers. Stamens with terminal pores to release pollen.

 

 

 

Still can't believe how much American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) I see at the marsh now.

 

A double variety of Orange Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva). There are two plants at the edge of the marsh.

 

A very muddy Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)...

 

...and a smaller one surveying its domain.

 

 

 

Twenty minutes later and in the sun, the Orange Daylily blossom is fully open.

 

Read all about Orange Daylilies, and the double variety, here: https://www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org/pages/plants/orangedaylily.html

 

July 14th. With my truck in the shop, my Triumph made a rare visit to the trail today before it got too hot.

 

An old and tattered Appalachian Brown (Satyrodes appalachia).

 

 

 

A young and/or female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus).

 

A heavy beak, but not nearly as strong as that of the female Rose-breasted Grosbeak of July 11th, above.