birds, flowers & butterflies

Sandy took out a lot of our Pitch Pines but Pine Warbler continues to occupy his regular territory spending most of its time feeding in deciduous trees. The singing male is actually quite handsome with his yellow throat and breast with dark streaking at the side and no streaking above (as distinguished from the female and fall Blackpoll and fall Bay-breasted, both of which are streaked above).

Alas, after a week of persistent trying, the Red-Eyed Vireo seems to have given up; at least he wasn't heard on the place this morning. Perhaps he went off looking for greener pastures (or, I should say, greener treetops).

Two butterflies of interest: a Black Swallowtail male and what I think was a Variegated Fritillary (seen only low and in flight; this is the only Fritillary likely to fly this early in the spring). If that's what it was, it would be new for the property.

Some of the miniature wildflowers in bloom right now include one of the Speedwells (with oval leaves and tiny lavender flowers), Least Hop Clover (tiny yellow flowers) and one of the Lepidium peppergrasses (white). There is also a beautiful Potentilla cinquefoil spreading all over the open areas around the house and a handsome small blue mint -- an Ajuga mint I believe. Other flowers in full bloom right now include Lily-of-the-Valley and Bush Honeysuckle. Our old Apple tree and the remaining Lilac bush both bloomed early -- at the beginning of the month -- and are now long finished.

Eric Salzman