Red Admiral at Sandy Point

I arrived at Sandy Point State Park just as they opened at 7:00 AM. I searched, mostly in vain, for birds for the next two hours. Even the usual decent points were almost totally devoid of birds. That’s the way it goes some days.

Red Admiral

I haven’t seen many of these Red Admiral butterflies.

 

Deer

I was greeted by 6-8 deer, grazing peacefully.

Black Vulture

Sandy Point is home to a large colony of Black Vultures.

Baltimore Oriole

This first year Baltimore Oriole was a nice find. It’s only my second of the year.

Great Blue Heron

This juvenile Great Blue Heron was fishing right on the beach.

Mockingbird

Every Mockingbird in the state was at Sandy Point today.

Great Blue Heron

I almost always see the Great Blue Heron fishing in shallow water, so it strikes me as odd to see them perched in a tree.

Great Crested Flycatcher

I’m still a big fan of the Great Crested Flycatcher.

Western Tiger Swallowtail

There were many Western Tiger Swallowtails feeding on these bushes.

Catbird

Two Catbirds were feeding rapidly, and I assume they are fueling up for migration.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

The Blue Gray Gnatcatcher seldom stays still for long.