Spring naturally started with snow and finished 10 days early because of my schedule. The photos here were taken between March 21 and June 10.
The photo above shows a Blackburnian Warbler in New London on June 6.
Our house is somewhere up on the hill in the background in the photo below.
Below is a huge tree along Rope Ferry Road in Hanover.
In Lyme in early April, I photographed this scene before 7 am.
The next day, Shaker buildings in Enfield.
Lyme Hill with UVLT
On March 30, I hiked Lyme Hill with the Upper Valley Land Trust. On the way down I found some amazing resinous polypore shelf fungi.
Here are a few more photos from the Lyme Hill hike.
Plants
What would be spring without wildflowers and emergent verdant green ferns.
Only one non-wild-flower here — a crocus at Lakeside Park in Enfield.
Every spring for 24 years, a pink lady’s-slipper has bloomed in the same spot, buried in shrubs out front. Here is a photo from June 6.
Surprisingly, I found one nearby this year more in the open.
Here are more wildflowers from around the Upper Valley this spring.
Mammals
This seemed to be the spring of muskrats and beavers. Two muskrats in the flooded field at Campbell Flat in Norwich.
A beaver in Reeds Marsh in Orford.
And a beaver in the Connecticut River off Two Rivers Park in Lebanon.
A chipmunk along the Rail Trail in Enfield near Main Street Pond.
After two great years photographing red fox kits, I had poor luck this spring. One in Andover and one in Ryegate.
Insects
Below are the few insects I found during my travels through the UV. I did not search these out but merely saw them while hiking or photographing birds.
Birds
I posted Birds of Early Spring in my previous blog. All the bird photos shown here were taken after May 16.
Bedell Bridge State Park
I visited Bedell Bridge State Park with a group from Mascoma Audubon on May 25th. I arrived early and stayed late to photograph more scenes and birds. The moon was just past full when I arrived at 5:44 am.
This is a small but beautiful spot — a prime floodplain forest.
Common Grackles are beautiful in the sun.
I found a Veery near the parking area.
Not far away, a House Wren was chattering.
I photographed a Warbling Vireo.
And a Red-eyed Vireo that was true to its name. Such a pretty bird that sings a monotonous song all day long, all summer long. Ted Levin calls it “forest elevator music”.
I found a Least Flycatcher, distinguished from some of the similar flycatchers by song.
An Eastern Phoebe was carrying nest material.
We saw a Belted Kingfisher fishing and shaking water off at some distance away and backlit.
A Common Merganser was shepherding her young. We counted the standard dozen. They need to start with a lot of chicks because of predators.
We watched a Green Heron searching for food and hopping from spot to spot.
A female Red-winged Blackbird launched off a perch.
And another signaled for a right turn.
I photographed a White-breasted Nuthatch along the road into the park.
Also along the road in, Jeff spotted a Yellow Warbler nest. Even with him pointing it out, it took me a long time to find it.
Staying on the entrance road, I found a Chestnut-sided Warbler.
And also along that productive road, American Redstarts.
The entrance road was a nice “tunnel in the woods” setup for a photo of part of our group.
Birds with food
Spring is the time birds feed their young. I was lucky to photograph some birds catching and carrying insects.
Common Grackle along the Northern Rail Trail at Ice House Road in Lebanon.
Veery in Newport along the Sugar River Trail.
At Cricenti’s Bog in New London, I photographed a Black-and-White Warbler with food.
In Lyme, a Red-eyed Vireo caught a caterpillar.
Also in Lyme, a Pine Warbler landed on a branch very near where I was standing with a summer fishfly.
Birds around the Upper Valley
I watched a Blue Jay and a Red-winged Blackbird harass a Bald Eagle. Note how much larger the eagle is.
And then the eagle flew.
I found Cedar Waxwings in Lebanon and Lyme.
In a small pond in Etna, a pair of Canada Geese were escorting their young. I was walking with Jann with just a short lens on my camera. We saw them cross the road well ahead of us before they entered the pond.
Along the Rail Trail in Lebanon, I spotted a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in the woods far from any feeder.
An Eastern Phoebe perched on an interesting “stick” in Sunapee.
In North Charlestown at Morningside Farm, a Red-winged Blackbird flew to some weeds but decided they were too crowded and soon departed. I was disappointed to see that the fields where meadowlarks nested last year had been cut.
In Newport I photographed a Red-eyed Vireo…
… and a Veery.
A Gray Catbird was spotted at Cricenti’s Bog in New London.
I found American Redstarts in Newport and Lebanon.
At Up on the Hill Conservation Area, a beautiful UVLT area in North Charlestown, I photographed a Chestnut-sided Warbler.
A Yellow Warbler from Lebanon at a reliable spot near Ice House Road.
A Common Yellowthroat in Newport.
In New London at Cricenti’s Bog, I found a Black-and-White Warbler singing.
And along the same boardwalk, one or more stunning Blackburnian Warblers.
At Cricenti’s Bog I found the boardwalks over the bog have been much improved. No longer are water shoes needed.
Patterns
Jann and I walked around and into the new Irving Building at Dartmouth. It was quite beautiful. I took these photos of patterns and textures.
Slightly iridescent clouds were reflected in a pond in Etna.
I visited College Park at Dartmouth to photograph a rare Varied Thrush in the rain. I liked the pattern of the leaves and trees while searching.
Spider webs in Bradford, VT made a nice pattern with the early dew.
Not quite a pattern, but almost, along the Rail Trail in Enfield.
Graffiti
I have posted photos previously of the graffiti at the abandoned Hartford Woolen Mill in Newport. But it was hard to resist taking more photos, even though I was in the area to photograph birds and hike with Jann.
Scenes
Bradford
Along the RR Tracks while birding.
Lyme
Thetford
At the Union Village Dam recreation area.
Norwich
At two great bird spots: the Ompompanoosuc Area and Campbell Flat.
Hanover
Moose Mountain, ferns on Trescott Lands, and Etna poppies.
Canaan
Drained Goose Pond and a 6 am scene near Little Goose Pond.
Sutton
Wood piles and Mount Kearsarge views from Muster Field Farm.
Sunapee
A sunset over Lake Sunapee.
Finally
A garter snake along the Rail Trail in Enfield.
