Before:



After (the green you see is not garlic mustard) :

Good progress, if I do say so myself. Just don't turn and look at the sea of garlic mustard surrounding this area, or at the forest of Japanese knotweed that's poised to take over the whole site:


I suspect resistance is futile.

Things are sprouting and growing apace now that it's warmed up a bit. It's a good time of year for birdwatching, without leaves on the trees to get in the way. Let's see if I can remember all the birds I've seen in the last week on or near the wetland:

Black-crowned night heron
Double-crested cormorant
Cardinal
Seagull
Canada goose
Mallard duck
Red-winged blackbird
Goldfinch
Black-throated blue warbler
Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
Belted kingfisher
Hairy woodpecker
Song sparrow
Red-tailed hawk
Mourning dove
Blue jay (heard)

There are even a few flowers to brighten up the picture. Here's some scilla:

Apparently it's not native, so I guess I should be digging it up, but I have my hands full with the garlic mustard. I'll take pictures of my progress next time.

Spring seems to be here for real, at last, so I headed down to the wetland site this morning and dug up some garlic mustard. It really does smell like garlic! This is a great time of year to be working there: the earth is wonderfully soft, there are no ants swarming up my legs, and it's not too hot. I filled a shopping bag with the GM, but there's lots more to keep me busy for a while. A lo-o-ong while ... I found a recipe online for garlic mustard pesto, but I'm not sure if I'll get brave and try it.