Sandy Point Seagulls

While it wasn’t as good as the last few days, the morning looked promising despite a few clouds. I decided to head back to Sandy Point and see if my luck would change. Sandy Point just hasn’t been that good for me.
Today wasn’t much different, so I watched a few gulls, who aren’t a favorite of mine for some reason.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

Several Blue Gray Gnatcatchers were feeding in the same tree.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

I haven’t seen many Great Blue Herons recently.

Ring Billed Gull

Great  Black Backed Gull

Laughing Gull

There were hundreds of gulls on the beach.

Eastern Towhee at Wooton’s Landing

Yet another perfect day weather wise. I got a late start, and got my first image around 8:00 AM. While it wasn’t as productive as yesterday, I still got a few decent shots and had an enjoyable walk.
Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

I’m a bird guy, but who could pass up these colorful butterflies?

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

It was tough to get a clear shot at this fast moving Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe

Several Eastern Phoebes were foraging in the same area.

Green Heron

Some day I’ll get a decent picture of one of Wooton’s Green Herons.


Goldfinch

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

This Goldfinch landed quite near me and posed for a while.


Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

I saw several Indigo Buntings this morning.


Catbird

Catbirds can found almost anywhere in the park.



Eastern Towhee

Eastern Towhee

This Eastern Towhee was the first bird I saw this morning.

Butterflies and More at Wooton Wetlands Park.

With just a few less clouds this would have been a perfect birding day. Low humidity and temps in the high 70s made for a great morning at Wooton. Butterflies are still feeding like mad, and a few birds posed well.

Spicebush Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Every plant with a blossom had one or more butterflies feeding.


Yellow Breasted Chat

Yellow Breasted Chat

Yellow Breasted Chat

Yellow Breasted Chat

Yellow Breasted Chats have stopped singing, but they are still present.


Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

This Common Yellowthroat kept a caterpillar in his beak for several minutes.


Common Yellowthroat

This may be a first year Common Yellowthroat .

Red Shouldered Hawk

Red Shouldered Hawk 60

No sooner had this Red Shouldered Hawk settled in the dead tree than he was mobbed and driven off by a flock of Crows.

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Buntings are still singing loudly and often.


Catbird

You can’t go far at Wooton without hearing a Catbird.


Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpeckers often let me get quite close.

Female Blue Grosbeak at Sandy Point State Park.

Work interfered with birding again, but I made the most of it. My client had a lightning strike, and I had to replace his NIC. His wife is a gardener, and she has several active hummingbird feeders, but I wasn’t able to locate any of the birds, except for a wren who was trying to get out of the garage.
He’s quite near Sandy Point, so I headed there afterwards, and found very few birds. A Snowy Egret and a Blue Grosbeak saved the day,

Carolina Wren

This Carolina Wren found his way into the garage and was looking for the way out.

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

This Snowy Egret was solo, and seemed quite unafraid.

Blue Grosbeak

This female Blue Grosbeak was a nice find.

Blue Grosbeak

Indigo Bunting at Governor Bridge Natural Area.

I was very surprised to find temps in the high 60s when I was leaving, and I quickly donned warmer clothes,
Governor Bridge was really very quiet. Yellow Breasted Chats were nearly ubiquitous two weeks ago, and I didn’t hear any at all today.
Birding was very slow in general, but butterflies were unusually active. Are they fueling up to migrate?

Spicebush Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Blue Grosbeak

Blue Grosbeak

I saw this Blue Grosbeak singing in several places.

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

This Indigo Bunting was also singing frequently.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird at Greenbury Point.

I awoke to a cloudy day, which began clearing quickly. Temps were in the high 70s with a light breeze, and it looked like an ideal birding day. I got to Greenbury before 8:00 and found some nice birds right away.
I was pleased to see my first Hummingbird at Greenbury, and a few other birds that have been scarce showed up as well.
I also vowed to stay out of the thorns, or wear long pants.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

This female Ruby Throated Hummingbird is the first I’ve seen at Greenbury.


Great Crested Flycatcher

Great Crested Flycatcher

This Great Crested Flycatcher was singing softly right out in the open, but it still took me a while to locate him.


Bluebird

Bluebirds were definitely more plentiful last year.


Western Tiger Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail

This blossom must have been special, as several butterflies gathered to feed it despite the proximity of many similar flowers.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

Blue Gray Gnatcatchers don’t seem to be as plentiful as they were last year.

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird

I haven’t seen an Eastern Kingbird in a while.


Goldfinch

This Goldfinch may be a juvenile.

Big Freaking Wasp at Truxtun Park

I hadn’t planned a trip today, as the weather was supposed to be bad, but the rain stopped falling soon after it started, so I took my 300mm lens to Truxtun just to play around. It’s lighter and a little faster and I’ve been neglecting it.
I found a few bugs and a couple of birds, then went home to face a tough day.
We had to have Gabrielle, our 17 year old cat, put to sleep today. We’re going to miss her.

Wasp

Wasp

Wasp

This might be the biggest Wasp I’ve ever seen.

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

This Western Tiger Swallowtail was enjoying the sunshine as it fed.


Osprey

Ospreys have been raising chicks on the ballfield lights for many years.


Bumblebee

Bumblebees were very active.

Cardinal

Cardinals continue their singing regimen.

Truxtun Park

Truxtun Park

I’ve spent many hours on the bridge observing wildlife in the waters at Truxtun Park.


Lizard

Lizard

I don’t know what kind of lizard this is.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird at Wooton Wetlands Park

The weatherman promised cooler temps today, and he got that right, but the humidity was near 100% and unpleasant. Still, I had nothing else going on, so I headed back to Wooton to see if anything had changed in the last couple of weeks.
Common Yellowthroats were common indeed, and a female Rubythroat showed up as I was looking at a butterfly.

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Western Tiger Swallowtails were present in greater than usual numbers.


Green Heron

Green Herons at Wooton always seem to be backlit.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Ruby Throated Hummingbird This is the first female Ruby Throated Hummingbird I’ve seen at Wooton.

Cardinal

When I saw a flash of bright red from the corner of my eye, I thought it was something more exotic than a Cardinal.


Red Winged Blackbird

I’ve grown to like the looks of the female Red Winged Blackbird.


Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat

I saw several Common Yellowthroat Warblers today.

Goldfinch at Greenbury point

I’ve only gotten out a little the last few days. It’s very hot and humid, and this is the slowest period of the year for local birds, many of whom have finished nesting and are dispersing.
I’m continuing my exploration of the newly open areas of Greenbury Point, which may be excellent for migrating birds in a few weeks.

Sulfur

I don’t know the exact name of this Sulfur butterfly. They are common, but seldom land for a photo op.


Chickadee

This Chickadee was doing the usual acrobatics as he fed.


Goat Sign

I didn’t see this sign when I first noticed the goats a few days ago.

Yellow Breasted Chat

Yellow Breasted Chat

Yellow Breasted Chat

The song of the Yellow Breasted Chat can be heard almost everywhere at Greenbury Point.

Deer

This young deer and a companion were grazing in the tree farm.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

I’ve had very few opportunities for a decent Goldfinch image this year.

Mockingbird

I’ve recently upgraded to Photoshop CS5, and I’m tweaking some old images.

Eastern Phoebe and a Weird Bug at Greenbury Point

I was undecided about going out at all after yesterday’s heat and humidity, but I took a chance and went to Greenbury about 7:00.
I did some exploring of the new paths, but didn’t find much in the way of birds. A few insects captured my eye, and I left after a couple of hours.

Eastern Phoebe

Birds were scarce, and this Eastern Phoebe seemed to be wondering what I was doing

Bug 1 The experts tell me this is a Cicada.

Bumblebee 3

Bumblebee 4

Bumblebee 5

Skipper 3