July 8th. Green Frog (Rana clamitans).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A muddy Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta).

 

A young male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa).

 

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) still on the nest.

 

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).

 

 

 

Buttonbush or Honeyballs (Cephalanthus occidentalis).

 

 

 

 

 

Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis).

 

 

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure this is Caraway (Carum carvi). I saw it in the same spot last year (beside the bench by the train mural near Route 85 in Amston) but the plant was mowed before it set seed.

 

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata).

 

 

 

Canada Lily (Lillium canadense).

 

 

 

July 9th. Showy Tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense).

 

It's invasive and easily spreads by its sticky pea-like seeds...

 

Most of it was recently mown, but it will regrow and be a problem in late summer.

 

July 11th. Two of a half dozen or so large noisy American Crows (Corvus brachyrhyncos) not far west of Route 85.

 

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) near the marsh where I've never seen it before.

 

Momma Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and two of her ducklings on the old beaver dam. Another duckling was in the water nearby.

 

The same two Northern Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon) in their usual basking spot.

 

 

 

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) with chubby cheeks.

 

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) hustling along the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

Female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) amid Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata).

 

July 12th. The single Chicory (Cichorium intybus) plant at Raymond Brook Marsh. Today's flower just starting to show pollen.

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).

 

Male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)...

 

 

 

...and a female Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) on the other side of the trail.

 

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) number 2 (with the ragged ear). Number 1 was further east on the trail.

 

A brief stop where the trail crosses Route 207. Lots of Chicory (Cichorium intybus) there.

 

 

 

Sweat or Halictid Bee (Agapostemon virescens).

 

 

 

A male Flower Fly (Family Syrphidae, Toxomerus sp.).

 

(Many male flies have large eyes that meet at the top of the head. In females, there's a gap between the eyes.)

 

 

 

Queen Anne's Lace or Wild Carrot (Daucus carota).

 

Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium) in the Morning Glory family Convolvulaceae.

 

 

 

A mated pair of Mottled Tortoise Beetles (Deloyala guttata). They feed on plants in the Morning Glory family.