Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). Clearing its throat?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for a good scratch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) on the south side of the marsh and far away.

 

Fiddleheads.

 

Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomea) fiddleheads.

 

Shadbush or Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea).

 

An afternoon walk starting from Cook Hill Road in Lebanon. First a couple of hundred feet west to see large patches of Spring-beauty (Claytonia virginica).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dog Violet (Viola labradorica).

 

"Beard" of long hairs on the side petals is a key character.

 

Red Trillium (Trillium erectum). Note the teeny spider on the upper petal.

 

Next a walk east of Cook Hill Road past the cattle yard...

 

 

 

...as far as the marsh where once there were eight Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) nests...

 

...now mostly drained and grown up with cattails and Phragmites.

 

Lots of Common Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale).

 

The only seed head I noticed. It's still early.

 

Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) were working the blossoms.

 

This one's pollen "baskets" on the hind legs were pretty full.

 

 

 

 

 

Another bee just starting to gather pollen.

 

A much smaller Sweat Bee (Family Halictidae, perhaps Augochloropsis metallica).

 

 

 

 

 

April 26th. I enjoy Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).

 

Did you laugh? (I did.)

 

Dog Violet (Viola labradorica).

 

 

 

Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia), the species you often see in lawns in blue or white forms.

 

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema atrorubens.), just opening. Leaves not yet unfurled.