Local flora & fauna

It’s likely my fourth and last field season here. So it’s about time I familiarize myself with the local flora and fauna! Insects (well, ants…), birds, reptiles and trees are all slowly getting there but my knowledge of wildflowers is still pretty much non-existent.  Why not start with this on a beautiful Flower Friday? Here’s a Eastern Red Columbine, of which the elegant flowers pop up all along the old stone walls that scatter New England (and make for good ant hunting sites).