The Friday AM bird walk was a great success, with wonderful warm weather, to contrast with last week's bitter cold.  Among the successes were Pine and Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warbler, a pair of Pine Siskins, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher.  Also, Green-winged Teal, Red-throated Loon, Great and Snowy Egret, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, Greater Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Killdeer, Rough-Winged Swallow, and Hermit Thrush.
This follows the final day with my grandchildren, Jackson and Oliver (We took a hike in Pratt Farm, and visited Oliver's Mill to catch more Alewife (of course we threw them back!).
Susan took the boys to Boston only to encounter the lock-down from the hunting of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing.  The whole world seems to be watching. I guess that because it is such a rare and unexpected occurance in the US, it seems all the more shocking and

a just ok picture of a Pine Warbler

Northern Water Snake

Young Water Snake enjoying the warmth of David Ludlow's hand

Seeing the ruby-crowned Kinglet

Oliver's A-10 Warthog, and Jackson's Harrier

You would think I had tired them out!

At Pratt Farm, a tree trunk wrapped around an old mill gear.

The mighty explorers

tragic.  It is, after all, almost a daily ordeal in many countries.  We will get through it, and run another marathon, but perhaps never again with such a joyfull atmosphere.