Purple Martin at Deale, MD

I had to work yesterday, but the customer lives in Deale, near the water, so we strolled around looking for birds before the work started. It was slow, but it will be a good place to visit again in the Fall.

I tried another new place today, Lake Kittamaqundi, in Columbia. There wasn’t much to see today, but it’s got potential.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 56

This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is one of the few butterflies I’ve seen recently.

Laughing Gull 102

I haven’t seen a Laughing Gull since early Spring.

Tufted Titmouse 202

The dark blue background makes this ordinary Tufted Titmouse look pretty good.

Song Sparrow 137

This Song Sparrow was at the lake.

Mallard 155

Mallard 156

Mallards were the only waterfowl we saw today.

Purple Martin 107

I took at least 20 shots to get one acceptable Purple Martin.

Tri Colored Heron at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

I started at Terrapin Nature Park this morning, and it was unusually slow, so I moved on to CBEC after an hour or so, which has had some good birds recently. The rumors were true, with many wading birds, sandpipers and my very first Tri Colored Heron.

Barn Swallow 28

I was lucky to catch this Barn Swallow in such a nice pose.

Forster's Tern 103

Two Forster’s Terns were fishing in the marsh pond at Terrapin.

Common Tern 134

I have no idea what’s stuck on the beak of this Common Tern.

Common Tern 138

Common Tern 136 Common Tern 135

 

Common Tern 137

These Common Terns were also at Terrapin.

Greater Yellowlegs 100

I think this is a Greater Yellowlegs.

Brown Thrasher 105

I don’t often see a Brown Thrasher on the ground.

Green Heron 125

Green Heron 126

This Green Heron posed just right to show off his coloration.

Snowy Egret 140

A flock of 14 Snowy Egrets flew overhead.

Snowy Egret 141

Egrets 1

Look closely to see the Tri Colored Heron mixed in with the Snowy Egrets.

Snowy Egret 142

I don’t recall seeing this many Snowy Egrets in one place.

Tri Colored Heron 1

Tri Colored Heron 2

This Tri Colored Heron is a first for me.

Deer-54

This very young deer watched me through the fence and never moved.

Great Blue Heron at Possum Point

It was another promising morning, and I managed to get some decent sunrise shots, but birds were very scarce.  Graeme and I stopped at Possum Point, Greenbury Point and Jonas Green Park and saw very little worth photographing.

Bugs are still relatively scarce.

Possum Point 89

Not a great sunrise, but it will do.

Double Crested Cormorant 113

This Double Crested Cormorant looks OK against the orange sky.

Goldfinch 222

Goldfinches abound behind the Nature Center.

Cardinal 202

This Cardinal has caught a June Bug.

Osprey 362

This Osprey was fishing at Possum Point.

Great Blue Heron 334

Great Blue Heron 333

I’m still a little surprised when I see a Great Blue Heron in a tree.

Green Heron at Wooton’s Landing

I met Graeme at Wooton this morning. I arrived early and found a few nice birds, then we wandered around a bit and located a few more, but it was a bit slow. A couple of butterflies helped us out.

We also stopped at Sands Road for a while, but it was slow as well. Very few insects were about.

Deer-53

This deer greeted me this morning.

Yellow Billed Cuckoo 105

We only got a quick look at this Yellow Billed Cuckoo.

Prothonotary Warbler 141

This Prothonotary Warbler was deep in the woods and hard to photograph.

Snowy Egret 139

Several Snowy Egrets flew overhead.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 221

This Blue Gray Gnatcatcher has found a nice spider for breakfast.

Green Heron 124

Green Heron 122

Green Heron 123

Green Herons seem to be doing well everywhere.

Dragonfly 65 Dragonfly 64 Butterfly 24

Butterfly 23

Today’s bugs.

Summer Tanager at Governor Bridge Natural Area

Three days of perfect weather! I went back to Governor Bridge in hopes of more Hummingbird  images, and a few of the regulars I haven”t seen yet. The Hummingbirds were very active, and the Tanager was a complete surprise as I’ve only seen a few, and never at Governor Bridge.

Although there was plenty of activity, I didn’t see any Grosbeaks or Scarlet Tanagers, though I know they are around.

Cardinal 201

This Cardinal was singing his heart out.

Robin 68

Robins are usually plentiful at Governor Bridge.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 331 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 330 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 329 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 328 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 327

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 326

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 332

Too many Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, as usual.

Summer Tanager 50

This Summer Tanager landed so close that this image is completely uncropped.

Indigo Bunting at Governor Bridge Natural Area

More good weather today was very welcome.  I’m getting too old for the prolonged heat and humidity of recent days. Reminds me of Vietnam.

I’m getting convinced the birds don’t care for it either.  There was much more activity today, and I spent too much time with the Hummingbirds, as usual.

Common Yellowthroat 217

This Common Yellowthroat was the first bird I saw this morning.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 324 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 323 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 322 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 321 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 320 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 319

 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 325

Ruby Throated Hummingbird s are starting to gain weight for migration.

Blue Jay 205

I haven’t gotten a decent image of a Blue Jay in a while.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 219

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 220

Blue Gray Gnatcatchers often hover underneath leaves as they glean the insects from their surfaces.

Indigo Bunting 117

 

Indigo Bunting 118

Several Indigo Buntings were foraging in the big field.

 

 

Eastern Kingbird at Terrapin Nature Park

The heat and humidity have ended for a few days. Temps in the 70s and a slight breeze convinced me to try Terrapin this morning, and it worked out well. Lots of marine birds were around and I got a few good images.

I did well enough to skip the bugs today.

Osprey 361

Many Ospreys were fishing in the area.

Common Tern 132 Common Tern 131 Common Tern 130 Common Tern 129

 

Common Tern 133

Common Terns were very active this morning.

Double Crested Cormorant 111

I found these Double Crested Cormorants flying over the bay.

Wood Duck 266

Several Wood Ducks flew over the pond.

Great Blue Heron

This Great Blue Heron was fishing in the marsh pond.

Snowy Egret 136

 

Snowy Egret 135

Snowy Egret 137

I saw 15 or more Snowy Egrets this morning.

Eastern Kingbird 123

The Redwinged Blackbird strayed too close to the Eastern Kingbird’s nest.

 

Rocky Raccoon at Governor Bridge Natural Area

When I looked outside at 4:00 it was already hot and sticky. I got to Governor Bridge around dawn and spotted a Red Fox scampering across the parking lot.

Birds were very scarce, even the Hummingbirds who are usually reliable at this time of year. I switched to bugs around 8:00, and Graeme and I searched the lake area without finding anything very special.

Raccoon 11

Raccoon 10

It’s rare for me to get a good look at a Raccoon in daylight.

Broad Headed Sharpshooter 102

Dragonfly 62

Damsel Fly 37

These Damselflies are mating.

Robber Fly 20 Insect 753

 

Skipper 24 Skipper 25 Dragonfly 63

Spicebush Swallowtail 16

Today’s bugs.

Graeme Simpson 101

Graeme Simpson, stopping to smell the flowers.

DSC_8589

The Bug Hunter.

Scarlet Tanager at Governor Bridge Natural Area

I got to Governor Bridge around dawn, and it was already very humid.

The birds weren’t as active as yesterday, but I managed to find a few even though the Hummingbirds weren’t as cooperative as yesterday.

I didn’t spend much time looking for bugs due to the oppressive weather.

Brown Thrasher 104

This Brown Thrasher appears to be molting.

Downy Woodpecker 034

I was surprised at how close I got to this Downy Woodpecker.

Red Eyed Vireo 306

Red Eyed Vireos are very visible recently.

Goldfinch 221

Goldfinches continue to forage in the big field.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 218

Blue Gray Gnatcatchers have become very active recently.

Red Bellied Woodpecker 169

I often hear Red Bellied Woodpeckers, but I haven’t seen one in a while.

Scarlet Tanager 100

This bird was at such an odd angle I didn’t realize it was a Scarlet Tanager until I looked at it on screen.

Moth 211

I found this Moth while looking for Hummingbirds.