An explosion of life.

  In a small sunny glade just 50 m south from the NE Gate at noon today, I saw the first monarch butterfly in the Woods this year, taking nectar from the autumn olive which was in full sweet-smelling flower. There were 2 or 3 goatweed butterflies, a dark skipper, a small tiger swallowtail, two small least sulphurs. Almost every tree now has leaves starting. Even some of the older walnuts have first leaves emerging on small twigs out of the bole. There are small flies buzzing about and a large carpenter bee. Life is suddenly full on today. In the SW Woods, much of the trail is sodden with small pools of standing water. There are small midges or mosquitoes flying low over the soil.

  I placed another five stones along the soggy portion of the West trail.. and then heading south found Michael B. and Rachel F. recording data from pink-flagged trees.