May 7th. Just east of Cranberry Bog, the pair of Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus) off the nest together.

 

One, with the remains of some small creature in its talons, flew back to the nest. I can see the head of a nestling to the left of the adult's feet.

 

The other adult moved from perch to perch.

 

 

 

Back at the nest...

 

...the other hawk took off.

 

I lost track of which bird was which as they moved from perch to perch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One flew down near the ground, hunting I assume.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 9th. Morrow's Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) comes in pink as well as white (the white fading to yellow with age.)

 

Pink Lady's-slipper Orchid (Cyprepedium acaule) buds prominent now.

 

Common Grackles (Quisqualus quiscula).

 

Several Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several male Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mother Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) was out with her ducklings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twelve of her fourteen made it into this photo.

 

 

 

 

 

May 10th. Cloudy and damp after overnight rain brought out the spring pastels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus). Thanks to Terry Stoleson for the ID.

 

The hairy vine beside them is Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).

 

 

 

The usual Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) look grumpy perched on the damp Wood Duck box.

 

A male Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) and Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) call from the same tree.

 

 

 

Some sort of Cherry (Prunus sp.) I think.

 

 

 

Something's scat full of gray hair. Best guess, a Coyote (Canis latrans) had eaten a Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).