Late April at Ridge Hill

Starflower, Ridge Hill Reservation, Needham, MA

More awakening at Ridge Hill. Wild flowers just beginning to show.

Bee flies on dandelions.

Dragonflies, big

and small.

My favorite encounter this afternoon was with this amazingly iridescent six-spotted tiger beetle.

It was exploring the fresh new vegetation with its impressive mandibles.

In bird news: I saw a wind gust nearly make a turkey vulture crash into a tree. And blue gray gnatcatchers and house wrens are newly arrived at the CRP.