June 3rd. Ornamental Iris at the Route 85 trailhead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) up to its belly, far across the marsh.

 

Wild Garlic (Allium canadense) flower bud about to open among the plant's "bulblets".

 

So close. Maybe tomorrow the flower will be open.

 

Young Red Maple (Acer rubrum) leaves.

 

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago).

 

 

 

Lush Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) extending out very close to the trail. Looks harmless.

 

Passers-by could easily brush against it.

 

It's blooming.

 

Caterpillar and its frass under a loose web of silk on a White Oak (Quercus alba) leaf.

 

I think it's a Dowdy Pinion (Lithophane unimoda).

 

Two Click Beetles (Family Elateridae). If they get turned over, they'll pause, then apply tension to a lock and key joint on the underside. When the joint clicks free, the beetle pops up in the air with a fair chance of landing right side up. Fun to play with.

 

Mowing and weed whacking near the Route 85 trailhead. Be conservative please!

 

The Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) nest is gone. Maybe part of yesterday's DEEP clean up job? Sure hope the young had fledged.

 

Maple-leaved Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium).

 

 

 

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) atop the wood duck house where tree swallows usually perch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A distant Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).

 

 

 

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina).

 

 

 

 

 

Male Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).

 

 

 

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus).

 

 

 

A male Assassin Bug (Zelus luridus).

 

June 5th. Humidity early on what will be the start of a hot and humid heat wave.

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday afternoon and evening brought heavy rains, lightning, and hail in spots. High water in the marsh today!

 

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) "hawking": flying out from its perch, catching an insect it had observed, then returning to wait for another.

 

Northern Arrowwood (Viburnum recognitum), the third Viburnum blooming now.

 

Azalea Flower "Gall" caused by a fungus (Exobasidium rhododendri).

 

On Pink Azalea or Pinxter-flower (Rhododendron nudiflorum).

 

Pasture or Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carrion-flower (Smilax herbacea) will have dark blue-black berries. It's a vine in the same genus as Catbriar. Thankfully without the latter's thorns.

 

The marsh and adjoining woods were alive with frog calls. This is a Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana).

 

They sound like this: https://www.umesc.usgs.gov/terrestrial/amphibians/armi/frog_calls/bullfrog.mp3

 

 

 

This is a Green Frog (Rana clamitans).

 

They sound like this: https://www.umesc.usgs.gov/terrestrial/amphibians/armi/frog_calls/green_frog.mp3

 

 

 

Heard but not seen were Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor). They sound like this: https://www.umesc.usgs.gov/terrestrial/amphibians/armi/frog_calls/eastern_gray_treefrog.mp3