I heard my first Alder Flycatchers quite late this year at Old Cedar Bridge on May 24th. It was as if someone turned on a switch and they were singing all over the place. I heard the last ones late, I thought, on June 10th from three places at the Black Dog fen area. Now, early this morning, I heard what must have been Alder songs from the parking lot and 4 places along the bluff trail west from the lot. The first two songs were so loud and surprising it seemed possible they were Acadians, but the sound seemed the typical Alder "ree-BEEP" rather than the Acadian "PEET-suh." There was also a Willow Flycatcher singing from its usual place, and a Least Flycatcher. I didn't see any of them. While cutting the grass this afternoon, I saw (finally?) my first Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly for the year. Last evening the yard produced the first Question Mark butterfly of the year. (Finally!) And finally, I may have seen a lifer butterfly at Old Cedar yesterday--an Appalachian Brown. Even the butterflies are coming in late for me. Jim
