Eight-Spotted Forester Moth

This moth is called an 8-spotted Forester nectaring on some Field Pussytoes (Aster family).  I think it's as pretty as a butterfly.

I also saw an American Copper on the same flowers.

Wildwood Cemetery

Ashland, MA

1:00 PM 74 degrees

Massachusetts Audubon Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

First damselfly of the season at Broadmoor.  Usually this boardwalk is swarming with damsel and dragonflies.  Not so today.  There were one or two of this variety (which I will have to research).

Peaceful waterfalls

spider web (click to enlarge and you'll see it better)

Eastern Phoebe

Song Sparrow

The meadow is starting to fill in.  This is only about 6 -8 inches up, but it was so pretty!

This is one of my favorite parts of the Marsh Trail - Fern City.

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow (they were busy catching bugs over the marsh)

American Copper

First sighting of this variety!

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Natick, MA; 

sunny, windy, @ 4 PM, low 60s

Today's Blooms

Foamflower

 Azalea (variety unknown)

 Shooting Stars

(great name, don't you think?)

 Lady slippers

 Dogwood

 Wild Columbine

 Trillium

Trillium Sessile

Today's Birds

Goldfinch (male)

Goldfinch (female)

 Tree swallow

 Mystery baby  -- possibly a tree swallow?   Barn Swallow (adult)

 American tree sparrow

He was so cute; I just had to include him even though he's not a bird!

 Blue Jay (I almost never see these any more, so it's exciting to get a photo!)

Song Sparrow
 (Note:  tail is too long for Savannah Sparrow)

Wachusett Meadow, Princeton, MA, 11:00, 43 degrees.

New England Wildflower Society Garden in the Woods Butterflies

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Question Mark

 Juvenal's Duskywing

Red Admiral (looking a little raggedy)

I saw all of these butterflies in Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA today.  Mid to high 50s.  3:30 PM.

Dogwood Symbolism

I love Dogwoods.  This one is outside Loring Arena (ice skating) in Framingham, Massachusetts.  I think the blooms are lovely and are a beautiful symbol of spring.

Some people also see Dogwoods as a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  The four white bracts represent the hands and feet of Christ.  Each is marked with a hole and blood.  The flower in the center of the bracts represents the crown of thorns.

Feeding Frenzy

I went to Farm Pond at lunch time to see if there were any baby ducks, geese or swans.  I don't want to miss them!  I flushed a Great Blue Heron as soon as I neared the lake and wasn't ready to capture it's picture.  Rats!  There was a pair of mallards there, but no ducklings.

Near the two old trees where the trail joins up with the pond, there was a huge flock of swallows flitting about in the strong winds.  They must have been finding lots of bugs to eat, because there were lots of bugs!  It felt reminiscent of the movie, The Birds, as so many birds filled the sky and flew very near me.  I never got a very good picture to show how many there were.  It was neat.

They were having a feeding frenzy!  (Click to enlarge)

Swallows remind me of those antique shiny Christmas ornaments.

I spotted sunning turtles and a red-winged blackbird as I wandered closer to the swans to see if there were any babies.   No sign of ugly ducklings yet.

Will try again in a week or so.  The clouds in the blue sky and several types of wildflowers in the woods added to the beauty of the outing.

Just as I was returning to the car, I heard a rustling and saw some sort of bird activity on the ground.  I shot a couple photos, and one showed a hawk leaving the scene.