
May 10th. Several stops along the trail in Colchester and East Hampton. This is the highly invasive Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias). It has slender leaves below the inflorescence...
|

...which has oval, pink or yellow bracts below teeny simple flowers.
|

It's creeping out onto the trail...
|

...from a massive patch of it nearby. (This is where the trail reaches Route 149 next to the Route 2 bridge at Exit 16.)
|

Common or Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus).
|

Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolius).
|

Underside of a Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon). The upper side is pale blue edged in black.
|

Common Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana).
|

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) is fragrant, but highly invasive.
|

At Cranberry Bog, five of six goslings in one Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) family. (The other family was too far away for photos.)
|

Surely the same female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) I photographed on the same twig a few days ago.
|

Showing its version of the male's epaulettes.
|

In addition to calling, it swooped close to me - though I was at least 20 feet away. Presumably a nest nearby.
|

May 11th. Pink Azalea or Pinxter-flower (Rhododendron nudiflorum).
|

Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon). First I've seen this year.
|

At least one Pink Lady's Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium acaule) is coloring up. Note, this photo taken with a long telephoto setting. Most of the orchids are off trail and surrounded by poison ivy.
|

May 12th. A sunny morning despite dark clouds passing northwest of the trail. Never did rain.
|

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus).
|

Likely the same female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) that I photographed on the beaver dam two days ago.
|

A male Mallard about 100 yards west of the female, partly screened by fresh green vegetation.
|

May 13th. Same Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), different spot (atop the beaver dam).
|

Veery (Catharus fuscescens). Noisy long tele, high ISO, photos of it.
|

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis).
|

A short walk east from Route 207. English Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) has narrow leaves.
|

Purple Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum).
|

Wood Frogs (Rana sylvatica) in the trailside ditches.
|

Within sight of Route 207, this tree cut about 3 feet above the ground remains dangerously hung up in another tree.
|

It needs to be safely cut down.
|

Perhaps 100 feet further east, the tree at the left is ready to take down the one nearer the trail.
|

For safety sake DEEP or Hebron Park & Rec needs to take down both of these trees.
|

May 14th. Pink Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule) in full bloom.
|

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina).
|

About all of a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) that I could see through a screen of shrubs.
|

A pair of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) on a Wood Duck house.
|

May 15th. Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis).
|
|