American Chestnut Leaves

We've grown many dozens of American Chestnuts and back-crossed Chestnuts over the last 5 years.  We keep a few in large pots in the city for school demonstrations, but most were planted as seeds in Hampshire County.  The trees in Arlington leaf out about 7-10 days earlier than the Hampshire County trees. This photo was taken today.  In my studies of tree phenology, I believe that's largely a function of soil temperature, and I've wondered about the variability of temperature in the potted trees' soil.  Someday I'll stick a thermochron in there.

We also found this plant last week, and then this week we saw that it was flowering. Anyone have a tip?

Gallinule Chick

source:www.birdsandsuch.com/pages/gallinules.html  

With the flooding in our lower field, we've been on the lookout for emerging water plants from the floodplain's seedbank.  Yesterday we got a big surprise when a young gallinule ran out in front of me then feebly flew 20 meters away.  I called to my wife, but that also alerted our two old kurzhaars.  Our older dog (14) won't hold a point if an animal moves, so I didn't want her to spot it while I was trying to photograph it.

I borrowed this photo from www.birdsandsuch.com, but the bird I saw was much more rufous and with a red-yellow, adult-colored beak.  These birds and others often reflect high ferrous mineral content, and are wetland soils are loaded.  Except for a purple gallinule or moorhen, I can't think of another bird with this immature body shape, a brightly colored beak and long legs than would be wading around in 4 inches of watery grasses.