Red Headed Woodpecker at Blackwater NWR.

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Hugh

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.

This Caspian Tern was at Sandy Point.

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

This Great Egret allowed me to get very close.

Eastern Kingbirds are still flycatching along Wildlife Drive.

Many Barn Swallows were feeding on Wildlife Drive.

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

This Bald Eagle took off as I approached his perch.

Brown Headed Nuthatches do well at Blackwater.

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

Blackwater is popular with Forster’s Terns.

This is a juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker.

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

Bugs from Quiet Waters.

This Green Tree Frog is about 1/2″.

Black Crowned Night Heron at Bombay Hook, NWR.

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Hugh

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.

I found this Beaver at Lake Artemesia yesterday.

Many Goldfinches were feeding near the marsh.

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

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

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

Forster’s Terns are still present in large numbers.

I spooked this Green Heron near Finis Pool.

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

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

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

Today’s bugs.

Chestnut Sided Warbler at Lake Artemesia.

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Hugh

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.

This Cardinal posed nicely.

Several Wood Ducks were feeding near shore.

This Great Crested Flycatcher found a nice Cicada for breakfast.

At least two Green Herons were foraging in the lake.

This Chestnut Warbler was a nice find.

An odd looking bug.

Another Red Banded Hairstreak.

Two of the largest caterpillars I’ve ever seen.

Pine Warbler at Blackwater NWR.

Posted on August 26, 2017 by Hugh

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.

These Purple Martins will be heading South soon.

Another bathibg seagull.

Caspian Terns seem to like Sandy Point.

This Cardinal was at Terrapin yesterday.

Red Headed Woodpeckers were very noisy today.

I found several Eastern Kingbirds.

This Carolina Wren was singing loudly.

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

3 Bobolinks were hanging out near the visitor center.

This is a Grasshopper Sparrow.

3 Bobolinks were hanging out near the visitor center.

Killdeer are becoming more common.

A single Greater Yellowlegs was foraging in the mash.

There are fewer Great Blue Herons than usual.

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

This Seagull was bathing at Sandy Point yesterday.

This Chickadee was having a good breakfast.

This Pine Warbler landed right in front of me.

Today’s bugs.

Caspian Tern at Sandy Point State Park.

Posted on August 24, 2017 by Hugh

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.

This Wood Duck was all I found at Terrapin.

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

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

This Osprey flew over the beach.

This Fish Crow was calling loudly.

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

Great Egret at Blackwater NWR.

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Hugh

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.

The Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are still feeding heavily.

A few Laughing Gulls were hanging with the terns.

This Northern Harrier spooked all the Terns.

A few Eastern Kingbirds are still flycatching along Wildlife Drive.

Chickadees like the pine trees.

I only found a few Great Blue herons.

This distant Green Heron appears to be molting.

The Double Crested Cormorants are most active at dawn.

This Wood Duck was at Terrapin yesterday.

Orchard Orioles will be leaving soon.

Caspian Terns often gather at Sandy Point.

These appear to be Ring Billed Gulls.

Many Black Vultures make their living at Sandy Point.

This Forster’s Tern is waiting to feed.

I found several Great Egrets this morning.

American Avocet at Bombay Hook NWR.

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Hugh

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.

Dawn at Bombay Hook.

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

Black Crowned Night Herons breed at Bombay Hook.

This Blue Grosbeak was singing loudly at dawn.

There are many Egrets at Bombay Hook.

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

Ruby Throated Hummingbird at Blackwater NWR.

Posted on August 20, 2017 by Hugh

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.

This Bald Eagle greeted me early this morning.

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

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

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

I found this Great Egret along Wildlife Drive.

This is a juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker.

The Red Headed Woodpeckers are still very active.

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

Yet another Bobolink.

The Grasshopper Sparrow seems to stay in one place.

Today’s bugs.

Caspian Terns at Sandy Point State Park.

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Hugh

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.

This Blue Grosbeak was at Greenbury Point yesterday.

This Cardinal seemed to be curious.

Goldfinches are almost commonplace lately.

This appears to be a young Chipping Sparrow.

Female House Finches are a bit drab.

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

This is a young seagull.

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

Today’s Bugs.

Bobolink at Bombay Hook.

Posted on August 16, 2017 by Hugh

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.