A Walk Before The Rain

Went for a walk along a shaded road through the reservoir in Burlington CT and 

found some pretty things.

The alien Dame's Rocket adds color to roadsides

A beautiful native azalea

If you know the ID of this moth, let me know

Fringed polygala

Cucumber root is starting to bloom

Arabis, I believe

Cinnamon fern fertile fronds are ripening

Pink lady's slipper

Mr. indigo bunting

A female rose-breasted grosbeak

The most beautiful azalea in the world.

I will state here that in my opinion Rhodora is the most beautiful native azalea in the country. 

I went out to Philbrick-Cricenti this afternoon and found many dozens of the rare plant lighting up the bog.

Rhodora canadensis, a rare plant that has no competitors.

Some late Marsh-Marigolds lighting up the swamp

Bog laurel is now in full bloom

More bog laurel

Field Trip to Gold

I get out to the Philbrick-Cricenti bog mid-summer every year to see the orchids, but yesterday I was looking for a short, relatively fly-free walk and headed out to see what early summer might offer. I found gold.

Golden Marsh-Marigolds, to be precise. Masses of bright yellow.

Also bog-rosemary, a few early bog laurel flowers, and lots of Rhodora in bud! I'm going back next week to see what I hope to be an amazing display of Rhodora.

Marsh-Marigold!

Marsh-Marigold!

Marsh-Marigold!

Bog-Rosemary

Bog-Laurel

Rhodora!!

Splish Splash, I Was Taking A Bath

While paddling on Chase Pond today I saw splashing on the far side of the water. It looked like a bird in distress. I was wondering if one of the monster snappers had hooked a duck dinner.

As I got closer I could see that it was a loon trying to swim upside down. It turned out that he was just taking his spring bath.

After about a half hour he swam off in search of dinner, much cleaner than before.

Pause In The Storm

There was a break in the storm this morning, so I drifted around Chase Pond in the stillness. Not much was moving, although I did find a colony of spade-foot toads grunting away in the shallows.

Sweetgale flowers (male)