May 4th. A female Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) on a house at Raymond Brook Marsh. Looks like she owns it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The male was just below her.

 

 

 

 

 

One Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) at the marsh.

 

Pink Lady's-slipper orchids (Cypripedium acaule) are showing buds.

 

Lots more demolition at the bridge on Old Colchester Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) at Norton's Pond.

 

 

 

At least 26 Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) at the usual spot.

 

May 5th. Solomon's-Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) in bud.

 

Eastern Tent Caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) are growing.

 

Black specs are "frass" (caterpillar poop).

 

Red Trillium (Trillium erectum).

 

Common Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana).

 

Hard at work on the Old Colchester Road bridge replacement.

 

Some problems with phone line clearance...

 

...required moving a lot of rock and dirt...

 

 

 

...to reach a point where a steel form could be pounded down.

 

 

 

May 6th. Pink Lady's-slipper orchids (Cypripedium acaule) just days away from fully blooming.

 

Male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa).

 

A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius)...

 

...and another one swooped in.

 

They both flew off.

 

 

 

More steel panels installed on the Old Colchester Road project.

 

 

 

Not much left of the original cement facings.