May 4, 2026

Spring seems to have stalled somewhat with cool, mostly dry days, although there was some rain over the weekend. Leaves are out in the understory, and on some trees just starting to emerge, but they’re in a holding pattern (today and tomorrow will be above 60 degrees so I anticipate a lot is about to happen). Still, spring is further along here, in our little nook at 500ft elevation just a couple miles west of the Connecticut, though we’re surrounded by hills and a mountain. On drives to and from Portland, Maine this weekend, over New Hampshire’s Lake region to avoid tolls, it was like driving two weeks into spring’s past.

Also, still, jack-in-the-pulpit are emerging, and grape hyacinth, and the rhododendron bush is blooming. Most of the other ephemerals are gone or headed that way, and the magnolias are dropping their petals and pushing out leaves. I just heard an ovenbird this morning, and put out grape jelly and half a tangerine in hopes that an oriole will be tempted. Over the weekend at the Grasslands I heard the usual suspects, in addition to swamp sparrows, field sparrows, black-and-white warbler, savannah sparrows, eastern towhees, brown thrasher, wild turkeys, and a ruffed grouse. Maybe tomorrow I’ll go birding before work.