April 5th. The first Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) I've seen.

 

It's much darker colored than the bird in the next two pictures...

 

...which isalso a Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula).

 

 

 

The usual pair of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). But the female...

 

...made repeated trips to a patch of soil beside the trail and in this case at least, brought back a piece of dried grass. Nesting material!

 

Probably the almost tame Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) that spends time close to the trail even as "traffic" passes by.

 

 

 

It was a dull cloudy morning, sometimes with a fine mist.

 

 

 

At one point I saw a Great Blue Heron seemingly being chased by a male Red-winged Blackbird. Then I saw another Great Blue Heron...

 

...behind them both, presumably chasing the first Heron. This is that second Heron who quit the chase when the first bird was long gone.

 

Sweet Crab Apple (Malus coronaria).

 

Three flower buds showing on this close clump of Pink Lady's-slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule).

 

An afternoon walk east of Cook Hill Road. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

 

Field Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense),

 

The deeply notched seed pods ("pennies") are definitive.

 

One of the Buttercups (Ranunculus sp.).

 

 

 

 

 

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) hasn't started to bloom yet.

 

Most of the cattle were out in the field.

 

May 6th. Beautiful spring colors.

 

 

 

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula).

 

A male Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia).

 

 

 

The female Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) was making numerous trips to gather dried nesting materials.

 

 

 

 

 

It would dive into the wood duck box each time; emerging soon for another trip to the source of the dried leaves.

 

May 7th. Pretty spring colors on a sunny day.

 

Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) on all three wood duck boxes.

 

A female balanced on a Common Reed (Phragmites australis) seed head.

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) on the hunt.

 

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).

 

Mid-afternoon at the little pond east of Smith Street near Cranberry Bog. The full Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) family feeding on Duckweed (Lemna minor).

 

 

 

Hustling to catch up to Mom.

 

 

 

 

 

May 8th. Midday. The Pink Lady's-slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) buds are expanding.

 

Not much activity at the Tree Swallow nest on the south side...

 

...however lots of activity at the nest box on the north side...

 

...where a female was collecting nest materials.

 

(Sorry for the poor images but I was far away and the sky was overcast.)

 

A Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) near where I've seen one recently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's getting harder to see the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) nest by the pond east of Route 207 as the oak tree flowers and leaves start expanding.