Sanderling at Sandy Point.

Low clouds prevented any hint of a sunrise this morning, so I wandered the beach with my 300 mm zoom but didn’t find much. It’s pretty dark, and photo opps are hard to find.

Terrapin continues to disappoint, warbler-wise. I saw a few, but they stayed in the shade and moved on quickly.

I spent more time with the bugs today, and did a little better.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler 2016-8

This Common Yellowthroat was today’s only warbler.

Snowy Egret 2016-122

A few Snowy Egrets were foraging in the marsh ponds.

Great Egret 2016-53

This Great Egret took off as I arrived.

Sanderling 2016-6

This Sanderling was right sat my feet.

Dragonfly 88 Dragonfly 91

Dragonfly 89

Dragonfly 90

Many Dragonflies were mating.

Red Admiral 5

Monarch 34

Monarchs are still present in small numbers.

Deer-61

This young buck stared at me a while before bounding off.

Bullfrog 4

Old Faithful was in his regular spot.

Spider 272

This is a Garden Spider.

Spider Web 6

It’s tough to get a good shot of a Spider Web.

Turtle 68

I almost stepped on this Eastern Box Turtle.

 

Osprey at Terrapin Nature Park.

Another average kind of sunrise without many interesting  shore birds at Sandy Point. This is a tough gig sometimes.

Warblers are being seen in many places, but Terrapin wasn’t the place this morning. There were a few around, but they didn’t stay long.

A couple of Ospreys and a few bugs made the morning more interesting.

Sandy Point 309 Sandy Point 308

Sandy Point 310

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

American Redstart 2016-9

American Redstart 2016-8

This is a migrating American Redstart.

Laughing Gull 2016-6

This is a Laughing Gull.

Osprey 2016-113

Osprey 2016-114

Osprey dives are spectacular, even when they miss the fish.

Monarch 33 Common Buckeye 12 Dragonfly 87

Dragonfly 86

Today’s bugs.

Frog 14

I believe this is a Leopard Frog.

Prairie Warbler at Terrapin Nature Park.

We had a nice blood red sun this morning, along with a few clouds that made for a more interesting sunrise. A couple of shore birds strolled by as well.

I found four warblers and a few bugs at Terrapin, but the wading birds were all elsewhere. The water is high in the ponds, and I think that’s the reason.

Sandy Point 304 Sandy Point 303 Sandy Point 302 Sandy Point 301

 

Sandy Point 305

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler 2016-6

This is a Common Yellowthroat Warbler .

American Redstart 2016-7

Several American Redstarts were feeding in the trees.

American Redstart 2016-6

Chickadee 2016-22

This Chickadee was the first bird I found at Terrapin.

Sanderling 2016-5

Sanderlings don’t seem to mind people.

Ring Billed Gull 2016-8

You can’t get closer to a Ring Billed Gull than this.

Carolina Wren 2016-7

I shot this Carolina Wren in almost complete darkness.

 

Skipper 38 Skipper 37 Dragonfly 85 Praying Mantis 50

Grasshopper 212

Today’s bugs.

Great Dane 2

Great Dane 1

Two Great Danes were being walked in the park.

 

Chestnut Sided Warbler at Terrapin Nature Park.

Sunrise was the usual uninspiring view. We need some clouds or maybe an alien invasion to spice things up.

Terrapin was crowded this morning. Sometimes I forget there are weekends. There were a few warblers around, but they were fast moving and generally indifferent to my wishes. I did get a few images, and I hope to see things pick up very soon.

Sandy Point 297 Sandy Point 296

 

Sandy Point 298

Sunrise at Sandy Point. This is the day the sun aligns with the lighthouse. A ritual sacrifice is in order.

Green Heron 2016-65

Two Green Herons were feeding in the marsh ponds.

Bald Eagle 2016-67

Bald Eagle 2016-66

Two immature Bald Eagles were cruising the marsh ponds.

Red Winged Blackbird 2016-55

Red Winged Blackbird are still very active.

Chestnut Sided Warbler 2016-1

I was lucky this Chestnut Sided Warbler stayed still long enough for a photo.

Skipper 36

Skipper 35

I saw a few butterflies, but this Skipper was the only one who would pose.

Downy Woodpecker at Governor Bridge Natural Area.

Warblers are being seen in the area, so I decided to give Governor Bridge a try. It didn’t work out. Not only no warblers, but hardly any birds at all.

Fortunately, the bugs were more cooperative and I got a decent variety.

Downy Woodpecker 2016-7

I was lucky to catch this Downy Woodpecker with his wings spread.

Saddleback Caterpillar 107 Grasshopper 211

Insect 780

Today’s bugs.

Flower 91 Trumpet Vine 1

Flower 90

A few flowers.

Spider Web 5

I had good lighting for this Spider Web.

Mallard at Sandy Point.

Another really insipid sunrise was relieved by a Mallard feeding in the shallows.  The lighting is sort of interesting.

Terrapin was  nearly barren. No warblers at all, and the high water seems to be keeping the wading birds away.

Sandy Point 293

It was so cloudy the sun didn’t appear until well after dawn.

Bullfrog 3

I’m going to call the Bullfrog “Old Faithful” as he appears regularly in the same spot.

Great Blue Heron 2016-69

This Great Blue Heron was the only wading bird in range.

Forster's Tern 2016-20

Forster's Tern 2016-21

I only found one Forster’s Tern.

Mallard 2016-73

I shot this Mallard with a flash just before dawn.

Butterfly 34 Red Spotted Purple 9 Red Spotted Purple 8

Common Buckeye 9

Today’s butterflies.

 

Eastern Kingbird at Terrapin Nature Park.

Another so-so sunrise at Sandy Point. Winter sunrises seem to be the best.

Terrapin was slow again, with only one distant warbler, and only a few wading birds.

A few butterflies made the morning a bit better.

Marge and Jim Perry 1

Marge and Jim Perry, fellow birders.

Sandy Point 292

Dawn at Sandy Point.

Osprey 2016-111

Several Ospreys were fishing in the bay.

Great Blue Heron 2016-68

I’m seeing fewer Great Blue Herons than usual.

Bald Eagle 2016-65

I would have liked better light for this Bald Eagle.

 

Black Vulture 2016-1

This Black Vulture was eating something only a few feet away.

Eastern Kingbird 2016-36

This Eastern Kingbird will be leaving soon.

Northern Watersnake 2

This Northern Watersnake was swimming in the marsh pond.

Flower 89

I liked the look of this flower.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 104 Spicebush Swallowtail 22 Butterfly 33 Skipper 34

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 103

Today’s butterflies.

Dragonfly 84

And a dragonfly.

 

American Redstart at Terrapin Nature Park.

Sunrise was better than average, and a Sanderling posed for me, so the day got off to a good start.

The big fields at Terrapin wasn’t at all productive, but  I found some warblers in the trails on the way to the beach. They were mostly Redstarts, and it didn’t last long., but it’s certainly a good start.

The marsh ponds were not as productive as usual.

Sandy Point 288

Sandy Point 289

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Sanderling 2016-3

Sanderling 2016-2

This Sanderling started foraging 50 yards up the beach, and wandered right in front of the lens.

Snowy Egret 2016-121

There were only a few Snowy Egrets around today.

Cooper's Hawk 2016-2

Cooper's Hawk 2016-1

I haven’t seen many hawks lately, so this Cooper’s Hawk was a nice surprise.

Baltimore Oriole 2016-20

Baltimore Oriole 2016-21

This Baltimore Oriole is probably a first year bird.

American Redstart 2016-4

American Redstart 2016-5

I saw 10 or more American Redstarts.

Red Spotted Purple 6

Red Spotted Purple 7

This a Red Spotted Purple.

 

 

Belted Kingfisher at Terrapin Nature Park.

Sandy Point sunrise was only so-so again-I didn’t even wait for the sun to appear before leaving for Terrapin.

Terrapin was unusually active today, with plenty of herons, egrets and eagles, but no warblers yet. I spent an hour searching for them before I settled in, but had no luck at all.

Sandy Point 286

Sandy Point. Black Vultures at dawn.

Eastern Kingbird 2016-35

Three Eastern Kingbirds were foraging in the marsh.

Green Heron 2016-61

Green Heron 2016-62

At least four Green Herons are still active.

Forster's Tern 2016-19

Only one Forster’s Tern showed up this morning.

Great Egret 2016-47

 

Great Egret 2016-42

Two Great Egrets were fishing in the marsh pond.

Great Egret 2016-41 Great Egret 2016-40 Great Egret 2016-39

Great Egret 2016-42

Two Great Egrets were fishing in the marsh pond.

Belted Kingfisher 2016-4

I haven’t seen a Belted Kingfisher at Terrapin for several weeks.

Turtle 67

Snapping Turtle 16

Two turtles appeared while I looking for birds.

Common Buckeye 8 Red Spotted Purple 4

Monarch 30

Today’s butterflies.

Spider 271

This Jumping Spider was the only bug I found.

 

 

 

Laughing Gull at Sandy Point.

Sunrise was so-so once again, but there were a few interesting birds on the beach.

I was at Terrapin shortly after sunrise, but the water was quite high from last night’s rain, and there weren’t any wading birds to be seen. I spent some time searching for warblers, which are being seen elsewhere, but had no luck.

I had an early appointment, so I made a brief stop at Sandy Point on the way home and picked up a couple of gulls.

Sandy Point 283

Sandy Point 284

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Sanderling 2016-1

This Sanderling was also on the beach.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 2016-8

I found this Blue Gray Gnatcatcher while looking for warblers.

Osprey 2016-108

Osprey 2016-107

This appears to be a first year Osprey.

Forster's Tern 2016-18

This Forster’s Tern was at Sandy Point.

Laughing Gull 2016-5

This Laughing Gull was on the beach.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 102 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 101

Monarch 28

Today’s butterflies.