Silvery Blues at Breakneck Hill Conservation Land

It wasn't the beautiful sunny day today that had been predicted.  Clouds and rain kept passing through all day long.  So in between....when the sun was out, you had to get out fast and enjoy it while it lasted.  I walked for about an hour before lunch this morning, and there were lots of butterflies about.  I saw my first-of-year Little Wood Satyrs, flying in good numbers.

Little Wood Satyr

Mourning Cloak

Hobomok Skipper

Mourning Cloak #2

Canada Mayflower

Little Wood Satyr

Dreamy Duskywing

Dreamy? Duskywing

Pearl Crescent

 Eastern Tailed-Blue

Dreamy Duskywing

Eastern Tailed-Blue, basking in the sun

Coltsfoot Mouse-Ear Hawkweed

Oh my gosh.  Will I ever get these right?
Thanks to Josh for a correct ID via email!

Common Sootywing

Yellow Warbler

We had lunch at Mama Puliafico's, and the Bleeding Hearts in her garden were peak.  They are such a beautiful flower, so I had to go out and take photos!

Before I could decide on where to walk this afternoon, I had a call from Freddie who asked if I'd like to walk at BHCL.  So....of course I went back!  The afternoon was even better than the morning!  There were several surprises.  First, I saw my first Silvery Blue butterflies at BHCL, also a first for 2014 and a first for the state of Massachusetts!

Silvery Blue

Spotted Cranesbill with crab spider

 Pearl Crescent

Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle

Blue-Eyed Grass

"I love blue-eyed grass!"  (I think Freddie heard me say this at least 12 times!)

closeup

Silvery Blue

Common Ringlet

 Mourning Cloak (same location as this morning)

Northern Cloudywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Second, I saw my first Jack-in-the-Pulpits at BHCL.  There was a cluster of them.  I think we counted 14.   So pretty and such a surprise to see so many!

 Lifting the pulpit to see Jack

Eastern Tailed-Blue

 Baltimore Oriole

Eastern Ribbon Garter Snake
(Thanks to Rosemary for the correction!)

Freddie spotted this snake near the stream that runs into the wetlands.   Rosemary also offered up the fun fact that a blue-eyed garter snake indicates that it is about to shed its skin.  Who knew?

 Eastern Tailed-Blue

again

 and again
(it's one of my favorites)

Eastern Bluestar

Golden Alexanders

OK.  Now I want to post a disclaimer.  I am constantly challenged by duskywings, aka Little Brown Jobs.  They are tough to get right, and these are my best IDs, but I defer to those who know more and if anything is incorrect, please let me know.