May 4th. The first Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) nest at the pond east of Route 207.

 

Something has caught the attention of the bird at the right in the picture above.

 

Two more Great Blue Herons landed not far away...

 

 

 

...and they're starting a nest!

 

 

 

Back at the nest to the left, no concern over the new neighbors.

 

 

 

 

 

(Sorry for the poor quality of some close-ups. Camera had its own ideas of where to focus and it wasn't on the birds.)

 

 

 

 

 

(Another lousy photo but you can see the birds cooperating on nest construction.)

 

 

 

The original nest...

 

...and the new one just started.

 

Below the Herons, a pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) have been hanging around on the old beaver lodge. Nesting there?

 

Not much happening at the other Grerat Blue Heron nest across from the bench.

 

Back at the Raymond Brook Marsh section, Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum).

 

Canada Mayflower or Wild Lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum canadense). Oh, and an ant.

 

Wild Oats or Sessile Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia).

 

False Solomon's-seal (Smilacina racemosa). True Solomon's-seal is blooming too but I haven't gotten a decent picture of it.

 

Pink Lady'slippper orchids (Cypripedium acaule) buds are starting to open.

 

Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis).

 

Eastern Tent Caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) are expanding their silken shelters. Baltimore Orioles returned a few days ago to feed on them.

 

May 5th. Spitting rain. Four Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodius) at the two nests just east of Route 207. (A fifth heron was further east but tucked down in its nest where only a bit of its back was visible.)

 

 

 

The bird at the top of this picture...

 

...took off.

 

 

 

The other pair of birds have made some progress on their nest but it seems far from complete.

 

 

 

 

 

(Once again, apologies for noisy low light photos.)

 

 

 

 

 

Later at Cranberry Bog in light rain, the first group of goslings.

 

The second goose family, though I never got a good count of the goslings.

 

Three in this view but I think several more might have been sheltering under Mom.