Beautiful Breakneck Hill

I've been back to Breakneck Hill Conservation Land a few times since my return to Massachusetts.  My first impression was shock at the amount of tree damage sustained during severe storms while I was away.  My second impression was that it is SO dry.  The trails are packed down and where it is usually grass, with some beaten down areas, it is solidly packed brown dirt.  The meadows didn't fully green up this summer.  We could sure use some rain.

August 5th:

Blue Vervain

Indigo Bunting (female)

Pearl Crescent

Tansy

Juvenal's Duskywing

Black Swallowtail

August 9th:

It's beginning to look a bit like Autumn...

Dragonfly clasping a freshly caught Common Ringlet

Common Ringlet

Clouded Sulphur

Eastern Tailed Blue

A bloom in the Community Garden

another Community Garden shot

Goldfinch on thistle

We finally had several hours of steady rain yesterday, and although it was very humid, it made for a pretty morning.

August 11th (after the rain):

Evening Primrose hosting a Primrose Moth

Monarda

Blue Vervain in the early morning light

another gorgeous bloom in the early light

two Blue Jays

St. John's Wort

Goldfinch gathering Chicory seeds

Song Sparrow drying off

Gray Catbird calling

Widow Skimmer dragonfly (male)

Community Garden sunflowers

dewy Evening Primrose

closeup of Leeks (I think)

in the Community Garden

thistle

Monarch (one of two seen)

House Sparrow drying off