Red Headed Woodpecker at Blackwater NWR.

I’m posting this a day late as I got a little busy yesterday and didn’t have the time. I went to Blackwater once again, and it was slower than usual, but still good enough.

I also made a couple of stops at Quiet  Waters, as the bug hunts have been more successful lately.

Forster's Tern 2017-99 Forster's Tern 2017-98

Forster's Tern 2017-100

This Caspian Tern was at Sandy Point.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-31

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-32

There’s still a few Ruby Throated Hummingbirds at the Blackwater visitor center.

Great Egret 2017-124 Great Egret 2017-123 Great Egret 2017-122 Great Egret 2017-121

Great Egret 2017-125

This Great Egret allowed me to get very close.

Eastern Kingbird 2017-37

Eastern Kingbirds are still flycatching along Wildlife Drive.

Barn Swallow 2017-33

Barn Swallow 2017-32

Many Barn Swallows were feeding on Wildlife Drive.

Belted Kingfisher 2017-32

Barn Swallow 2017-34

It took a bit of patience to catch this Barn Swallow in flight.

Bald Eagle 2017-155

This Bald Eagle took off as I approached his perch.

Brown Headed Nuthatch 2017-26

Brown Headed Nuthatch 2017-27

Brown Headed Nuthatches do well at Blackwater.

Double Crested Cormorant 2017-39

I stopped at the bridge to check out the Double Crested Cormorants.

Forster's Tern 2017-96

Forster's Tern 2017-97

Blackwater is popular with Forster’s Terns.

Red Headed Woodpecker 2017-72 Red Headed Woodpecker 2017-71 Red Headed Woodpecker 2017-69

Red Headed Woodpecker 2017-73

This is a juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker.

 

Squirrel 4

Squirrel 5

This Gray Squirrel family has taken over an old woodpecker nest.

Insect 801 Red Banded Hairstreak 3 Wasp 28 Monarch 55 Bee 233 Bee 232 Monarch 54 Butterfly 70 Insect 800 Butterfly 69 Insect 799 Moth 221 Moth 220

Wasp 29

Bugs from Quiet Waters.

 

Green Tree Frog 4

Green Tree Frog 3

This Green Tree Frog is about 1/2″.

Black Crowned Night Heron at Bombay Hook, NWR.

It’s still a little slow around here, so I went back to Bombay Hook this morning. I’ve never seen so many Sandpipers in one place. There were many thousands feeding in the first pool. Apparently they stay until the tide comes in.

There wasn’t as much variety as usual, and many of the birds were at the distant side of the pools, but enough cooperated to get a few decent images. The Night Herons were much more visible than usual.

Beaver 123

I found this Beaver at Lake Artemesia yesterday.

Goldfinch 2017-17

Many Goldfinches were feeding near the marsh.

Bald Eagle 2017-153

Bald Eagle 2017-154

Eagles are almost always in this single tree at Bombay Hook.

Great Egret 2017-120

Great Egret 2017-118

Great Egret 2017-119

There were hundreds of Egrets, but most were too distant for good images.

Semi-palmated Plover 2017-1

I just barely caught this Semi-palmated Plover at it flew by.

Forster's Tern 2017-94

Forster's Tern 2017-95

Forster’s Terns are still present in large numbers.

Green Heron 2017-32

I spooked this Green Heron near Finis Pool.

Great Blue Heron 2017-86 Great Blue Heron 2017-85

Great Blue Heron 2017-87

This Great Blue Heron was photobombed by a flock of Least Sandpipers.

Blue Grosbeak 2017-12

This Blue Grosbeak was singing loudly as I entered the refuge.

Black Crowned Night Heron 2017-12 Black Crowned Night Heron 2017-11 Black Crowned Night Heron 2017-10

Black Crowned Night Heron 2017-13

Black Crowned Night Herons nest at Bombay Hook, and this juvenile is learning how to feed himself.

Skipper 63 Caterpillar 230 Ladybug 54 Skipper 64 Monarch 53 Bee 231

Ladybug 55

Today’s bugs.

Chestnut Sided Warbler at Lake Artemesia.

I tried Lake Artemesia for the first time in a while, and it was good enough.  I found a decent warbler and some other migrants, a promising sign. A couple of huge caterpillars made as nice find as well.

I also stopped at Quiet Waters this afternoon, and found a few bugs.

Cardinal 2017-16

This Cardinal posed nicely.

Wood Duck 2017-90

Wood Duck 2017-88

Wood Duck 2017-89

Several Wood Ducks were feeding near shore.

Great Crested Flycatcher 2017-14Great Crested Flycatcher 2017-13

Great Crested Flycatcher 2017-12

This Great Crested Flycatcher found a nice Cicada for breakfast.

Green Heron 2017-31

At least two Green Herons were foraging in the lake.

Chestnut Sided Warbler 2017-1

This Chestnut Warbler was a nice find.

Insect 798

An odd looking bug.

Red Banded Hairstreak 2

Another Red Banded Hairstreak.

Caterpillar 229

Caterpillar 228

Two of the largest caterpillars I’ve ever seen.

Pine Warbler at Blackwater NWR.

Yesterday I stayed in the ‘hood and didn’t find much, so I made the trek to Blackwater this morning. I found a nice warbler right off, but it wasn’t a great trip, even though it was an improvement. I was hoping to find more warblers, but  I didn’t have much luck.

Purple Martin 2017-41

These Purple Martins will be heading South soon.

Seagull 2017-8

Another bathibg seagull.

Caspian Tern 2017-38 Caspian Tern 2017-37Caspian Tern 2017-36

Caspian Tern 2017-35

Caspian Terns seem to like Sandy Point.

Cardinal 2017-15Cardinal 2017-14

Cardinal 2017-13

This Cardinal was at Terrapin yesterday.

Red Headed Woodpecker 2017-68

Red Headed Woodpeckers were very noisy today.

Eastern Kingbird 2017-35

 

Eastern Kingbird 2017-36

I found several Eastern Kingbirds.

Carolina Wren 2017-7

This Carolina Wren was singing loudly.

Forster's Tern 2017-92

Forster's Tern 2017-93

Forster’s Terns spend a lot of time at Blackwater.

Bobolink 2017-5

3 Bobolinks were hanging out near the visitor center.

Bobolink 2017-4

Grasshopper Sparrow 2017-9

Grasshopper Sparrow 2017-10

This is a Grasshopper Sparrow.

Bobolink 2017-4

Bobolink 2017-5

3 Bobolinks were hanging out near the visitor center.

Killdeer 2017-12

Killdeer are becoming more common.

Greater Yellowlegs 2017-28

A single Greater Yellowlegs was foraging in the mash.

Great Blue Heron 2017-84

There are fewer Great Blue Herons than usual.

Green Heron 2017-29

I spooked this Green Heron, who landed in a nearby tree.

Green Heron 2017-30

Seagull 2017-8

This Seagull was bathing at Sandy Point yesterday.

Chickadee 2017-13

This Chickadee was having a good breakfast.

Pine Warbler 2017-4

This Pine Warbler landed right in front of me.

Wasp 26 Butterfly 69 Skipper 61 Sleepy Orange 2017-2 Eastern Tailed-Blue Butterfly 6 Skipper 60

Skipper 59

Today’s bugs.

 

 

 

Caspian Tern at Sandy Point State Park.

I started at Sandy Point this morning, and got a fairly routine sunrise, then headed to Terrapin. There wasn’t much to see. I feel as though I have to check, as migration is well underway, but it’s very disappointing to get nothing at all.

Rather than check in at CBEC, I went back to Sandy Point, where I found a few Terns, Gulls and Sandpipers.

A quick stop at Greenbury Point was totally unproductive.

Stilt Sandpiper 2017-1 (3)

This Wood Duck was all I found at Terrapin.

Stilt Sandpiper 2017-2

Stilt Sandpiper 2017-1

A small flock of Least Sandpipers was drinking from a puddle at Sandy Point.

Seagull 2017-6 Seagull 2017-5

Seagull 2017-7

I don’t know why Seagulls seem to bathe in puddles.

Osprey 2017-104

This Osprey flew over the beach.

Fish Crow 2017-1

This Fish Crow was calling loudly.

Stilt Sandpiper 2017-1 (2)

Caspian Tern 2017-34

A group of 10 Caspian Terns was hanging out together on the beach.

 

Great Egret at Blackwater NWR.

I’m still not finding much around here, so I went back to Blackwater this morning. I started with the Cormorants, who weren’t very active, them went on to Wildlife Drive, which was a bit better.

The wading birds are still scarce, and I only found one warbler, It looks as though most of the Swallows have moved on.

Blackwater Dawn 24

Blackwater Dawn.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-29

The Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are still feeding heavily.

Laughing Gull 2017-11

A few Laughing Gulls were hanging with the terns.

Northern Harrier 2017-11

This Northern Harrier spooked all the Terns.

Eastern Kingbird 2017-33

A few Eastern Kingbirds are still flycatching along Wildlife Drive.

Chickadee 2017-11

Chickadee 2017-12

Chickadees like the pine trees.

Great Blue Heron 2017-83

I only found a few Great Blue herons.

Green Heron 2017-28

This distant Green Heron appears to be molting.

Double Crested Cormorant 2017-37

The Double Crested Cormorants are most active at dawn.

Wood Duck 2017-87 Wood Duck 2017-86

Wood Duck 2017-85

This Wood Duck was at Terrapin yesterday.

Orchard Oriole 2017-23

Orchard Orioles will be leaving soon.

Caspian Tern 2017-31

Caspian Tern 2017-32

Caspian Terns often gather at Sandy Point.

Seagull 2017-3

These appear to be Ring Billed Gulls.

Black Vulture 2017-1

Many Black Vultures make their living at Sandy Point.

Forster's Tern 2017-90

Seagull 2017-4

This Forster’s Tern is waiting to feed.

Great Egret 2017-116 Great Egret 2017-115 Great Egret 2017-114 Great Egret 2017-113 Great Egret 2017-112 Great Egret 2017-111 Great Egret 2017-110

Great Egret 2017-117

I found several Great Egrets this morning.

American Avocet at Bombay Hook NWR.

I heard that Bombay Hook had some good birds, so I tried it this morning. I found a few good ones, but not as many as I’d have liked. Still, it was worth the trip.

I expect Bombay Hook is going to get better and better for a while. We should be seeing more migrants soon, so I’m  not sure where I’ll be going.

Bombay Hook 6

Dawn at Bombay Hook.

 

 

 

Great Egret 2017-108 Forster's Tern 2017-89 Forster's Tern 2017-88Forster's Tern 2017-87Forster's Tern 2017-86Forster's Tern 2017-85Forster's Tern 2017-84Forster's Tern 2017-83Forster's Tern 2017-82Forster's Tern 2017-81Forster's Tern 2017-80Forster's Tern 2017-79Forster's Tern 2017-78Forster's Tern 2017-77Forster's Tern 2017-76Forster's Tern 2017-75Forster's Tern 2017-74Forster's Tern 2017-73Forster's Tern 2017-72Forster's Tern 2017-71

Forster's Tern 2017-70

I may be spending too much time chasing Forster’s Terns.

Least Sandpiper 2017-10 Forster's Tern 2017-73 Great Egret 2017-109

Black Crowned Night Heron 2017-9

Black Crowned Night Herons breed at Bombay Hook.

Blue Grosbeak 2017-11

This Blue Grosbeak was singing loudly at dawn.

Great Egret 2017-107

There are many Egrets at Bombay Hook.

Snowy Egret 2017-71

Great Egret 2017-107

There are many Egrets at Bombay Hook.

Great Egret 2017-108 Great Egret 2017-109 Snowy Egret 2017-72

American Avocet 2017-7

American Avocet 2017-5

I haven’t seen American Avocets in quite a while.

 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird at Blackwater NWR.

It’s still slim pickings around here, so I went back to Blackwater this morning. It was the right choice. There’s no noticeable migration, and the wading birds were scarce, but other birds made up for it, along with a few butterflies.

Bald Eagle 2017-152

Bald Eagle 2017-151

This Bald Eagle greeted me early this morning.

Purple Martin 2017-39

Purple Martin 2017-40

A few Purple Martins are still hanging around the visitor center.

Catbird 2017-8

This Catbird landed at my feet as I was watching the Hummingbirds.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-26 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-24 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-23 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-22 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-21 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-20 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-19 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-18 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-17 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-16 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-15

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2017-25

The Hummingbirds were very active, probably gaining weight for migration.

Great Egret 2017-105

I found this Great Egret along Wildlife Drive.

Red Headed Woodpecker 2017-66

This is a juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker.

Red Headed Woodpecker 2017-67

The Red Headed Woodpeckers are still very active.

Forster's Tern 2017-69

This young Forster’s Tern was along Key Wallace Drive.

Bobolink 2017-2

Yet another Bobolink.

Grasshopper Sparrow 2017-7 Grasshopper Sparrow 2017-6

Grasshopper Sparrow 2017-8

The Grasshopper Sparrow seems to stay in one place.

Palamedes Swallowtail 2 Palamedes Swallowtail 1 Cloudless Sulphur 5 Cloudless Sulphur 4 Cloudless Sulphur 3 Monarch 52 Wasp 24

Common Buckeye 16

Today’s bugs.

 

Caspian Terns at Sandy Point State Park.

The weather has been iffy for a couple of days, and the light was sucky, but I managed to get out for a little while.

There is definitely some migration going on, but I haven’t seen any warblers yet. Still, there’s lots of activity and it won’t be long.

Blue Grosbeak 2017-9

This Blue Grosbeak was at Greenbury Point yesterday.

Cardinal 2017-12

This Cardinal seemed to be curious.

Goldfinch 2017-16

Goldfinches are almost commonplace lately.

Chipping Sparrow 2017-5

This appears to be a young Chipping Sparrow.

House Finch 2017-2

Female House Finches are a bit drab.

Winter Wren 2017-2

Winter Wren 2017-3

This is the second time I’ve found a Winter Wren at Greenbury Point.

Laughing Gull 2017-8

Seagull 2017-2

This is a young seagull.

Caspian Tern 2017-29 Caspian Tern 2017-28 Caspian Tern 2017-27 Caspian Tern 2017-25 Caspian Tern 2017-24

Caspian Tern 2017-23

There looked to be 15-20 Caspian Terns at Sandy Point.

4Dragonfly 113 Dragonfly 113 Dragonfly 112 Insect 797 Wasp 23 Wasp 22 Butterfly 65

Spider 276

Today’s Bugs.

 

Bobolink at Bombay Hook.

I heard yesterday there were good birds at Bombay Hook, so I made the trek this morning. This is not my favorite thing, but I want to find good birds when I go looking, so you do what you gotta’.

I was pleasantly surprised to find two lifers, neither of which was the bird mentioned. I’ll settle for that. Actually, there was heavy fog for an hour and a half, so I was lucky to find the birds I did.

Forster's Tern 2017-67 Forster's Tern 2017-65 Forster's Tern 2017-64 Forster's Tern 2017-63 Forster's Tern 2017-62 Forster's Tern 2017-61

Forster's Tern 2017-60

Forster’s Terns were present in good numbers.

Least Sandpiper 2017-7 Least Sandpiper 2017-6 Least Sandpiper 2017-5

Least Sandpiper 2017-8

Many Least Sandpipers are in every part of the refuge.

Laughing Gull 2017-7

I’m seeing Laughing Gulls in many places now.

Eastern Kingbird 2017-30

Eastern Kingbirds are still very active.

Blue Grosbeak 2017-7

Blue Grosbeak 2017-8

I heard this Blue Grosbeak singing, but it took a while to find him.

Goldfinch 2017-15

Many Goldfinches forage along the road through the marsh.

Great Egret 2017-102 Great Egret 2017-101 Great Egret 2017-100

Great Egret 2017-103

I like the look of Great Egrets in a tree.

Black Crowned Night Heron 2017-7

Black Crowned Night Heron 2017-8

This is a juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron.

Bald Eagle 2017-150

This Bald Eagle seems to be in the same tree every time I visit.

Dowitcher 2017-1

Short-billed Dowitcher 2017-2

This Short-billed Dowitcher is a life bird for me.

Bobolink 2017-1

This is a Bobolink, a bird I’ve often heard of, but haven’t seen until today.