June 12th. After hearing the bird for a month or so, I finally got a distant view of the elusive Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) at Raymond Brook Marsh - a bit west of the bench, far out in the reeds.

 

To the naked eye at that distance, I thought it was probably a male Red-winged Blackbird.

 

Then I saw the beak...

 

...and then the bird turned to show me a profile!

 

(I should explain that I was shooting at 1365mm telephoto equivalent with my little Canon PowerShot SX70 HS. Then I cropped a lot in Lightroom.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 13th. Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus). Mullein is a Biennial: it has a basal rosette in its first year and puts up a flower stalk in the second year.

 

 

 

With Bumble Bee (Family Bombidae).

 

 

 

An infestation of yellow Oleander Aphids (Aphis nerii) on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).

 

Although unsightly, they do no significant damage and do not affect Monarch Butterfly caterpillars.

 

The white specs are the cast off skins of earier instars.

 

June 15th. Horse at the farm east of Cook Hill Road in Lebanon.

 

 

 

 

 

Cow...

 

...and more cattle.

 

Barn cat presumably.

 

Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria).

 

 

 

An early instar Katydid nymph (Family Tettigoniidae) on Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris).

 

 

 

Then a short walk near the train museum in Willimantic.

 

Lots of plants in bloom along this section of the trail.

 

Lots of ornamental roses.

 

Lance-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) and a Flower Fly (probably Toxomerus marginatus).

 

Blue Toadflax (Nuttalanthis canadensis).

 

Beardtongue (Penstemon sp.).

 

 

 

 

 

Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana).

 

 

 

Butterfly-weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in bud.

 

Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina).

 

Venus' Looking-glass (Specularia perfoliata).

 

An ornamental Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis).

 

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) with some visitors.

 

Tumbling Flower Beetles (Family Mordellidae) and a Sweat Bee (Family Halictidae).

 

 

 

This flower had a different Sweat Bee (probably Augochloropsis metallica) and a Bumble Bee (Family Bombidae).

 

I turned back at the junction with the Hop River Trail.