April 18th. Rare to see a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) strutting on the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A pair of Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The female Ring-necked Duck passing a male Bufflehead (Bucephalis albeola).

 

 

 

She soon caught up to the male.

 

 

 

 

 

April 19th. The Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) pair atop the Wood Duck house again.

 

 

 

And the Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) pair. Roughly the same photo as yesterday, taken in about the same spot.

 

Mid afternoon. At Cranberry Bog, Momma Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) in her usual pose.

 

Dad came by to check things out.

 

 

 

Apparently satisfied, he headed back to his spot on the bank a hundred or more feet away.

 

Momma Goose doing a bit of housekeeping.

 

But wait! I count three eggs.

 

Make that four!

 

No, five!

 

Five eggs seem to be typical, though six is common too.

 

Settling down again.

 

April 20th. Blue Forget-me-not (Myosotis stricta).

 

Teeny flowers...

 

...on a teeny plant. Learn about it here: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/myosotis/stricta/?key=dichotomous#dkey

 

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata).

 

Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum).

 

 

 

 

 

Just one Bufflehead (Bucephalus albeola) male around today.

 

Ah, the metallics of the head feathers visible in this shot.

 

Lots of tiny insects on this Water-lily pad.

 

Best guess is early instar nymphs of Water-lily Planthoppers.

 

 

 

Miscellaneous Muscoid Fly on the side of my truck.

 

April 21st. Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) taking a break from catching midges.

 

Discussions continue about using the wood duck house as a nest site.

 

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) that started this page continues to hang out close to the trail.

 

April 22nd. Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) flowers still closed up for the night.

 

I counted about 32 Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) in this photo.

 

I had confirmation that these are Waterlily Planthoopers (Family Delphacidae, Megamelus davisi). Thanks to UConn's Katrina Menard and Jane O'Donnell for the ID.