May 25th. An afternoon walk from Bull Hill Road west over the Lyman Viaduct. Rough-fruited Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta).

 

 

 

The dry exposed soil atop the viaduct is home to some plants that thrive in such places, like this Least Hop Clover (Trifolium dubium)...

 

...and this Hairy Rock Cress (Arabis hirsuta). A Mustard (Family Brassicaceae).

 

Note the basal rosette of leaves and the narrow leaves up the stem that bears seed pods and flowers.

 

Blue Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis), another dry soil, waste places plant.

 

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense).

 

The individual pea-family flowers are stunning in their own right.

 

May 26th. An unusual perspective...

 

...under...

 

 

 

...a Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) flower head.

 

Pedestrian operated warning signals have been installed where the trail crosses Route 207.

 

Hopefully this will prevent injuries where vehicle and pedestrian visibility is poor.

 

Presumably, this was a DOT project, perhaps coordinated with DEEP.

 

Glad to hear that Hebron's Public Works crew removed the dangerous dead trees just east of Route 207.

 

May 27th. Just a little female spider...

 

...and another one, this one has caught a Firefly (Family Lampyridae).

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).

 

 

 

 

 

At Cranberry Bog, the Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) were out with goslings that were not particular about which adults they were with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Layla.

 

I got buzzed by the female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), as usual.

 

The Canada Geese got buzzed by both males and females. Note the male perched above right.

 

Attack mode!

 

 

 

That group of geese gave up and moved further away from the blackbird's nesting area.

 

My how the goslings have grown!

 

A massive Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) hauled out briefly, but decided there were too many people and dogs nearby.

 

What a beast!

 

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana).

 

May 28th. The caterpillar of the Copper Underwing moth (Amphipyra pyramidoides)...

 

...but given how exposed its resting spot, I suspect instead it will become part of a baby bird.

 

 

 

I keep seeing these distinctive little spiders but can't identify them closer than Family Araneidae, the Orb-weavers.

 

I found two Dragonfly nymphs (Order Odonata, Sub-order Anisoptera) crossing the trail, hunting for the right spots to climb stems and shed their skins, emerging as a flying adults. They're very vulnerable at this point and often become bird or rodent food.

 

The "leks" of male Pollinia labialis flies are gathering. Right on time! Read all about them by scrolling down to near the bottom of this page: https://www.performance-vision.com/airline2021/airline-spring-21v.html

 

Yarrow (Achillea millifolium) covered in dew.

 

A Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) nest in a tall Maple across the channel, roughly between the beaver dam and the DEEP sign board.