Lots of big American Bullfrog tadpoles rising out of the murk for a gulp of oxygen. Minnows, too. And sculling across the surface, a swift Hesperocorixa water boatman. This is either the 1,248th animals species I’ve documented in NYC for iNaturalist or the 1,481st, depending on how you ask iNaturalist to count.

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Second sighting this year of an Eastern Phoebe. In past years, there were sometimes EP lingerers all through winter in Green-Wood. This winter, I hadn’t noticed a one until March 12. The one pictured here was seen March 17.

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Dodging Blue Jays, a Cooper’s filled with somebody digests in a yew.

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The strappy leaves of Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) can easily be overlooked. But do look closer: This is Spring Beauty Rust/Puccinia mariae-wilsoniae. Virginia Spring Beauties come in a range of colors. The pink-flowered ones are more likely to be eaten by slugs. Wet springs, then, can result in fewer pink flowers. The white-flowered ones…

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(American Goldfinch near a thistle-packed feeder.)

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A window of bark has fallen off this European Beech/Fagus sylvatica, revealing the trail of beetles. These are so irregular I think they’re woodpecker trying to get in rather than beetles trying to get out. These are, I think, exit holes. But look closer: A fine Lion’s-mane/Hericium erinaceus mushroom.

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In roughly age/plumage order, younger to older. Incidentally, you don’t need a weatherperson to tell you which way the wind is blowing if you have gulls around.

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Common Drone Fly on Hoop Daffodil. Slurping up pollen from an anther. The flower’s stigma can be seen between the fly’s legs. Close-up of fly/pollen interface. (Common Drone is something of a bee-mimic.) A real bee, albeit a farm animal. Honey Bee on another Hoop daffy. Stigma reaching out further than the anthers. She’s packed…

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