Lizardtail (Saururus cernuus) is emerging from the wet streamsides.
Activity along the north side of the main pond continues briskly, with all four boxes occupied. Box #6 is still a-building, with eight Wood Duck eggs not yet under incubation.
At the downstream end of Barnyard Run, beyond the beaver dam near the observation tower (at right in this image), box #61 has hatched out 17 of 18 Hooded Merganser eggs. Several more boxes are due to hatch late this month.
A few weeks ago I posted about crayfish chimneys, but that post lacked an image. Here’s one to rectify the situation.
Two species of vireos (Vireo griseus and V. olivaceus) were heard but not seen. At least one Green Heron (Butorides virescens) was spotted over the wetland, as well as (suprisingly exposed in the open) a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus). A birder at the tower pointed out an American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) to me. Chickadees have taken over one of Melina’s boxes intended for Prothonotary Warblers. Virgina Rails (Rallus limicola) were reported in the past week, but we didn’t detect them today.