Wild Turkey Babies

A beautiful Eastern Tailed-Blue landed right in the middle of the trail this afternoon at Breakneck Hill Conservation Land.  I just love this tiny blue butterfly.  This one was fresh and beautiful and had both of its tails. 

Eastern Tailed-Blue

This appears to be a mass of eggs on the underside of a milkweed leaf.  If anyone knows what they are, please message me.

ripening black raspberries
(thanks to Josh for the correct ID)

Banded Hairstreak

 Viceroy

I thought it was a Monarch at first glance, but no.  It has the extra black line across the lower wings.  It is a Viceroy.

Widow Skimmer

Oftentimes, the food source is also a hiding spot for a predator.  The insect above was dead and dangling from the milkweed flower.  I couldn't see a spider, but I bet it's in there, somewhere.  On yet another milkweed flower, I saw a bee also attached by one leg, but it was still alive and was struggling to try to fly away.

Silver-Spotted Skipper

 Little Glassywing love triangle

 Two were already in the act of mating, but that third one would not leave them alone.

After work, I thought I'd try Chestnut Hill Farm again and see if I could find a Baltimore Checkerspot a little closer to the trail.  I didn't, but I did spot the Wild Turkey, which I had forgotten we had seen the last visit.  

Wild Turkey

Quite a few poults flew into the trees last time, so I watched this "single" turkey carefully.  It paid off.  She was shepherding at least 8 babies through the grass.

That's a lot of turkey!

poss. Field Sparrow (not sure of my ID)
Bobolink

I asked Alan to take a look at this, and he thought poss. Bobolink but wasn't entirely sure based on this photo.  I think he's right.  That was a bird I was looking for at this location!

The evening light and the meadow grasses kept catching my eye.  There's so much variety!