.

August 12th. Back from a short vacation in New Hampshire. An ornamental Spider Flower (Cleome hasselriana) growing at the edge of Cranberry Bog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cranberry Bog is very shallow despite recent rain, and fully covered in Duckweed (Lemna minor).

 

A female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) grooming.

 

 

 

A young male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa).

 

More young Wood Ducks. Note the shriveled and dry water-lily pads and stems.

 

 

 

The resident Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius).

 

I know it's the same bird I've seen here for three or four years because of the damaged tongue sticking out through its neck.

 

 

 

 

 

Lady Beetle (Family Coccinellidae) on Spotted Joe-Pye-weed (Eupatorium maculatum).

 

Spotted Touch-me-nots (Impatiens capensis).

 

August 13th. An afternoon walk, starting on the trail leading to the Blackledge River Bridge. I always see American Coppers (Lycaena phaleas) at this spot at this time of year..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ailanthus Webworm (Atteva aurea) moth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A male Northern Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus). Males have highly curved antennae and a yellow lower face ("frons"). They cannot sting since wasp stingers are modified female ovipositors.

 

Round-headed Bush-clover (Lespedeza capitata).

 

 

 

A small Grasshopper nymph (Family Acrididae).

 

A male Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) gathering minerals from roadside wet sand.

 

 

 

 

 

Next stop, the east side of the River Road crossing. Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus).

 

The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) was back, perched on Pond-lily corms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, a stop at Raymond Brook Marsh. See the bird perched at the top of the dead tree?

 

It's a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).

 

Another Mourning Dove was perched nearby.

 

Concord Grapes (Vitus sp.) have a long way to go before they're ripe enough to sample.

 

August 14th. One of the two usual morning bunnies. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

 

 

 

 

 

A "teenage" male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa).

 

Likely one of the two Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) I saw near the same spot yesterday.