Black locust tree. They're everywhere.

Some days I look around Beechwood and think, "Gee, this section is looking really good!" Other days, like today, I think, "My god, I had no idea there was so much tansy [or garlic mustard, or knotweed, or dog-strangling vine]. I'll never make a dent in it." Then I just get back to work. I'm continuing with the tansy slaughter, with an occasional thistle or stand of knotweed for variety.

This morning, like most mornings, I was joined by orioles, robins, a kingfisher, song sparrows, and what I think are yellow warblers. There are goldfinches as well, but I think what I've been seeing lately are warblers, and they appear to be all yellow. They perch in a tree and chirp until I find them with my camera, and the moment I press the button they fly off. I'll keep trying.

A pair of catbirds prepare to duel:




Tall buttercup:



(You can't tell from that picture, but it is indeed quite tall.)

The beautiful but unwelcome Dame's Rocket, with a little dog-strangling vine poking its nose in. It's like that annoying kid who always puts up two fingers behind someone's head and ruins the family photo:



(The DSV is the small brownish-purple star-shaped flower. We'll be seeing more of it later, but for now I'm all tansy, all the time.)

I found half a robin's eggshell on my way home:






Near the top of Pottery Road someone has cut back small sections of DSV beside the path. This section had a neatly tied bundle of the stuff; someone's a much tidier steward than I am!







Here's a little video of yesterday's egret catching something to eat in the pond: