Saunders Woods Preserve

From Ildewild Farm we walked the Bridlewild Trail to Saunders Woods, a Natural Lands Trust Preserve.

Spring house

Barn at Saunders Woods

Steps by the barn where we had our lunch

Idlewild Farm

On this date we met a group from Natural Lands Trust to visit the Idlewild Farm and Saunders Woods preserves in the heart of the Main Line and connected by the Bridlewild Trail network.
We met at Idlewild Farm by a huge silver maple.

We toured the bank barn

Views of Idlewild Farm and the barn from the hill

Spring Progress

Clematis. Thank you for the suggestion to photograph this.

Three tulips

Dogwood blossoms

A garter snake sunning itself on the rocks

Meeting the Bees

We gathered in the meadow with our beekeepers and visited our bees, while the beekeeper reversed the boxes. Everyone wore a hat and veil, even though the bees were gentle - it is important to protect the face.

After opening the hive, the beekeeper holds up a frame for inspection.

Queen bee

Here is a drone.

A queen excluder is inserted in preparation for collecting homey.

Out and About

Redbuds and spring green

These Mertensia, or Virginia bluebells, were in the woods,

A faded comma has been around since last year

Spring beauties in picnic grove

Redbud and narcissi

Inside the Greenhouse

Yellow mimulus

Impatiens

Staghorn fern

Flowering cactus

Seedlings being started

Nature in Black and White

Photographic challenge for the week - Nature in black and white

Seen at Foulkeways

Cherry allee

Willow

Gate

Magnolia blossom

A bullfrog is back again in the "M" puddle.

Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve

After Easter dinner we took at walk at Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve, less than 2 miles from Foulkeways. It was a beautiful day, with temperatures in the low 70's.

Mockingbird

Windmill

Canada goose

Fields with birdhouse

Strange robin

Fulshaw Craeg

Today I took a walk to the stream at Fulshaw Craeg, and one of the first things I saw were the bloodroots, this one with a bee fly. (Bombylius major)

Trout lily

The woods are still brown.

Hepatica americana

Spring azure, form 'violacea'

Here is the creek. Fulshaw Craeg is 16 miles from Foulkeways, with the detour.