Sherborn Power Line Trail Butterflies

First, some shots from the driveway:

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

again

Zabulon Skipper

Chipmunk

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

again

American Goldfinch

And, on to the Sherborn Power Line Trail:

Eastern Tailed Blue

American Copper

Gray Hairstreak

Great Spangled Fritillary

American Copper

White-Faced Meadowhawks (mating)

Ragweed Flower Moth 

Great Spangled Fritillary

Tawny-Edged Skipper

Eastern Tailed Blue

American Pelecinid Wasp (female)
(Thanks to Eric E. on Insects of NE FB page!)

A confusing Fall Warbler

Ovenbird

Banded Bullet Galls on Oak

Crab Spider eating Gray Hairstreak

Robber Fly

Tiger Beetle

possible New York Carpenter Ant

Giant Swallowtail at Northampton Community Gardens

Today we dropped off our son at UMass Amherst.  After hearing reports of terrible traffic jams due to the move-in plus the holiday weekend, my husband decided that we should leave early in the morning, even though we had a move in time of 2PM.  Since we had time to kill once we were in the area, we drove over to Northampton Community Gardens where I happily looked for butterflies.  I didn't have my camera with me, so these photos are from my phone.

Species seen:

American Copper
American Lady
Black Swallowtail
Cabbage White
Clouded Sulphur
Eastern Tailed Blue
Giant Swallowtail
Great Spangled Fritillary
Least Skipper
Monarch (one!)
Peck's Skipper
Silver Spotted Skipper

I saw Tom G. of the Mass Butterfly Club and spoke with him for a few minutes.  We checked his rue for Giant Swallowtail eggs, and I found one just before I had to leave.  He has planted several plots with this beautiful combination of verbena surrounded by red and white zinnias.  There were Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds nectaring around the garden on different flowers, and I photographed one in Tom's zinnias.  It just doesn't show up in the quality of photo I took with my phone.

I was pleasantly surprised to see two more Giant Swallowtails just outside the dorm at UMass, while we were waiting for the elevator.  One the way home, we stopped in Worcester for dinner at The Sole Proprietor.  A Common Nighthawk flew over the parking lot as we walked into the restaurant, so I added a bird to my year list too.

Green Heron at Beals Preserve

I took a morning walk at BHCL today.  The sky was the star of the show this morning and the clouds were just beautiful.



 I did see a lot of nice birds, too.   Several tree tops were decorated with Eastern Bluebirds.

 Eastern Bluebirds

 House Finch (female)

House Finch (male)

 American Goldfinches

 Pine Warbler (?)

Mourning Dove

In the afternoon, I took a walk at Beals Preserve.  On the way there, I noticed a red fox in someone's front yard, so I stopped and took some photos!  He/she was very itchy!

Bye!

On to Beals Preserve....I saw a Green Heron and three Eastern Painted Turtles sunning themselves at the Ice Pond.

 Green Heron

 Eastern Painted Turtles

I walked down to the channel, looking for butterflies as I went.  There was a lot of Joe Pye Weed in bloom but very little flying.  I did see a couple of Common Ringlets, one Common Wood Nymph and two Clouded Sulphurs.

Common Wood Nymph

Clouded Sulphur

Red Tailed Hawk (on the wires)

Northern Mockingbird (sure looks like a juvenile)

Eastern Phoebe