Things with Wings: Breakneck Hill Conservation Land Flowers and Dragonflies

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Breakneck Hill Conservation Land Flowers and Dragonflies

It is yet another partly cloudy day here in Massachusetts. I headed back to Breakneck Hill Conservation Land. It's so nice there right now that I can't stay away! Oh, a friend of mine made the following comment about Breakneck Hill on Facebook:

I am a member of the Southborough Stewardship Committee charged with managing Breakneck Hill Conservation Land. Our committee was formed to address what has been called the largest infestation of Oriental Bittersweet in Metro West. Almost a decade later and now what once was over 30 acres of an old orchard that was nothing more than dead trees killed and engulfed by the bittersweet is now managed for wildlife habitat as grasslands and meadows.

Kudos to the Southborough Stewardship Committee! Breakneck Hill Conservation Land is a beautiful grassland/meadow habitat with lots of diversity. Your hard work is greatly appreciated!

This morning, there were a few butterflies flitting around, mainly Clouded Sulphurs, Cabbage Whites and a few Great Spangled Fritillaries.

Great Spangled Fritillary on Common Milkweed

(I can never resist photographing these larger, beautiful butterflies)

Northern Broken Dash

Eastern Bluebirds were all along the trail, perching temporarily in dead tree branches or on the fenceposts until I got close enough that they'd have to fly off again. The juveniles are so cute.

As I walked up and down the gently sloping hills, I decided to photograph the different flowers that are in bloom in the meadows and see if I could identify them all. Dragonflies were constantly vying for my attention, so I've included some of them too.