The streak continues…

Our string of beautiful days continued this morning, and things are definitely drying out, but the only thing really turning brown so far is the mowed lawn. Plus, the bright blue skies sure makes the pictures pretty, so I’ll take ’em, especially since I can’t really change ’em.

The only activity I saw on the pond this morning is our wood duck hen and her ducklings. Here they are preening themselves in the early morning light.

Here they are hiding under Mom’s apron when I got a little closer. I don’t know how many she has under there, and I don’t think it likely that there are nine, I am sad to say, but I haven’t gotten a good count lately.

Down on the river, the new activity for today is from some large fish thrashing and splashing on the lower river in the shallow water and near sticks and logs. Maybe it’s carp spawning again. Any fisher folk care to weigh in?

It was a little disconcerting because it’s usually so quiet there, and I’ve been conditioned to associate ripples in the water with muskrats or beaver, but not today.

Perhaps this green heron was as perplexed as I was, but it’s hard to tell for sure from the expression on its face.

Above the falls, our doe, who is now a west-sider I guess, was out grazing in those greener pastures. She’ll always be welcome back on the east side, right?

At the north end, at least two of the mallard broods are still about.

The males are starting to look a little ratty as they start to ditch their spring mating finery.

I didn’t see any goslings, but plenty of geese are stocking up.

I also spotted a new blossom for the season, St. Johnswort, possibly common (Hypericum perforatum) or spotted (Hypericum maculatum), both of which have long been used for medicinal purposes.

On my way back south, I spotted this handsome character on the jewelweed that grows thick on both sides of the trail, and The BugLady leads me to believe that it is a golden-backed Snipe fly (Chrysopilus thoracicus). I can’t wait for that jewelweed to blossom.

On my second time past the falls, I caught a glimpse of this fabulous sight, a spotted sandpiper foraging along the crest of the waterfall and affording me the opportunity to combine a portrait with an art-shot. Tada!

At the top of the stairway, above the falls, the chicory blossoms appear to be fully open and looking resplendent.

I didn’t see our snapping turtle this morning, and maybe it finally found a way to where it wanted to go, but I did spot this aptly-named dog vomit slime mold (Fuligo septica) in the middle of the path that somebody seems to have disturbed, which only serves to enhance its appearance, wouldn’t you say?

Finally, at the south end, the uncut weeds at the edge of the soccer fields continue to attract all kinds of little critters.

This first one appears to be a northern broken-dash skipper (Wallengrenia egeremet), which I don’t believe we’ve seen before.

Next, we have a female widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa), which we did see last summer.

A cabbage white gave me one more opportunity to perfect its portrait, this time sipping from what appears to be yellow avens (Geum aleppicum).

Lastly, the bull thistle is now fully open and feeding our ol’ buddy from last summer, the amazing bicolored striped-sweat bee (Agapostemon virescens), the official bee of Toronto.