Shallow DOF

One of my favorite sightings in the spring are the Red Efts, the terrestrial stage of the eastern Spotted Newt.  They range from ridiculously tiny to about 2 inches.  This particular little guy was about an inch from nose to tail.  You can get some perspective from the bit of moss right in front of his face.  The better photo would probably been the one of me taking this shot from an eye-level vantage point.  I'll put a side-view in Extra so you can see his beautiful spots.


Met up this morning with my naturalist group and we spent a very enjoyable morning and early afternoon finding birds, plants, amphibians and insects.  After so many damp, chilly days recently it was good to be outside.  By the time we stopped to eat the sun was out and it actually felt like spring.  


Several of the more interesting finds on today's outing...
A rather large Northern Water Snake sunning himself on a rock
A handsome gold-backed snipe fly and
A New England Bluet Damselfly with some sort of parasite

Back at home, I did a quick nest box check and found that the wrens are firm now at 13 eggs:  7 in the first nest and 6 in the second.  The consensus of my group is that my little male is polygamous, which is not all that uncommon with wrens I'm told.  So, when all these baby wrens start hatching, he's going to be one very busy papa.  Meanwhile, the bluebird babies are 8 days old now and sprouting little feathers.  

Thanks for the kind words yesterday.  I'm not sure if it ever gets easier, but I suppose we get more used to it.

xo
Debbi