Blithewold Mansion

Today my friend Donna and I visited the Blithewold Mansion and grounds.  Blithewold is old English for "happy woodland".  It was summer residence of a wealthy family from Pennsylvania.  The owners loved to garden, and there are thousands of daffodils currently in bloom.

one of the giant Sequoia trees on the property

 Northern Cardinal

 Trout Lily

 May Apples, Daffodils and Trout Lilies

And in the greenhouse:

 Butterfly Amaryllis

Back in the outdoor gardens:

 Northern Cardinal in front of forsythia

Beautiful!

 another Trout Lily

 Marsh Marigolds

 Hepatica

 Double-Crested Cormorant

 Mute Swan

 Winter Hazel

 Mourning Cloak

 Eastern Kingbird

 Savannah Sparrow

 another Mourning Cloak

 another Savannah Sparrow

 Checkered Lilies

We went to see the daffodils and were pleasantly surprised by May Apples, Trout Lilies, Hepatica, Wood Anemone, and beautiful tulips.  We even saw a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird buzzing through the garden.  It was a happy woodland indeed.

Happy May Day!

It wasn't the most beautiful spring day today, cloudy and cool with highs only in the mid 50s.  That being said, Mother nature did not disappoint.  I really enjoyed the sights of the day, including my first Ruby-Throated Hummingbird at the feeder!

I drove through Wildwood Cemetery this morning, mostly to check on whether or not the Quaker Ladies were in bloom.  They were not.  I enjoyed watching a few birds and located one nesting American Robin:

Mourning Doves

Chipping Sparrow

 American Robin

puffed up like it was mid-winter (it was in the 40s)

Pretty against the tree buds, though!

Robin's nest

At lunchtime, there were moments of sunshine and the temps had climbed into the 50s, so I headed over to the Sherborn Power Line trail to see if I might get lucky and find some butterflies.  I saw two:  a Spring Azure and an Eastern Pine Elfin.  The azure was much more cooperative than the elfin.

 Spring Azure

showing off its beautiful blue inner wings

 same butterfly 

Eastern Pine Elfin

(my single shot)

 Eastern Towhee

Field Sparrow

Back at home, I enjoyed the following yard birds:

Northern Cardinal (female)

Boy, does she blend in well with the leaf buds

Courtship

This male has won her over.  I watched him feed her seeds 3 times in a short period of time.

Downy Woodpecker