It was such a treat to see the Monarch butterflies flitting about looking for food at Fort Hill. I only saw a couple of them this week but was able to get a pretty decent photograph.
Have you seen a Monarch butterfly this year?
Tag Archives: Fort Hill
Fort Hill On Cape Cod Is Known For Its Beautiful Lupine Wildflowers!
Colorful Bobolink At Fort Hill On Cape Cod.
It was such treat to see this Bobolink land on the fence at Fort Hill the other day. It was pretty far away but we were able to identify it and get a couple of photos. It was the first one that we’ve seen on the Cape and the first one that I’ve seen in many, many years. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
The male Bobolink sings a bright bubbly song while in flight starting with low reedy notes and rollicking upward “bob-o-link, bob-o-link, pink, pink, pink.”
I found this interesting tidbit on the internet: “The Bobolink’s common name originates from a poem written by William Cullen Bryant back in the late 19th century. William wrote about a bird he then called Robert of Lincoln. This name was shortened to Bob of Lincoln, and finally became the name it has today: Bob-o’-link.”
Have you ever seen a Bobolink or heard its call??
Delicate, White Starflowers Are Blooming On Cape Cod.
I saw my first Starflower of the season at Fort Hill the other day. What a treat that was! I had seen the little, star-shaped bud just two days before (2nd photo), so I thought it had a few days to bloom. (Click on blog link for other photos.)
The Starflower usually has 2 small, delicate, white flowers on a slender stem. Each flower has 5-9 pointed petals and 7 long, yellow stamens. The plants are small, only growing from 5-9 inches.
Have you seen a Starflower yet this season? Such a pretty wildflower, don’t you think?
Common Lowbush Blueberry Wildflowers At Fort Hill On Cape Cod.
If you take a walk on the Red Maple Swamp Trail at Fort Hill, you will see Common Lowbush Blueberry wildflowers starting to bloom all long the sides of the boardwalk. They are quite prolific and quite beautiful. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
It is a common shrub with white or pink-tinged bell-shaped flowers, hanging in clusters. The flowers are tiny, only 1/4 – 1/2 inch which bloom in May and June, so you still have plenty of time to see them.
The edible fruit, which typically mature in mid- to late-summer, vary in color from a bright blue to bluish-black and are sweet to taste.
I like to photograph them best when are just starting to bloom, as in the 2 photographs. I took mine in color while Phil took one in black and white. Quite a different perspective, don’t you think?