Blogging Again

Solitary Sandpiper

After a three and a half month hiatus, I am back to blogging - hopefully with regularity. A few followers have inquired about my absence, and I thank them heartily.

Home projects consumed me during my blogging absence - getting them done took nearly all of my attention. But they are done, and I am finally able to return to doing the things that I enjoy in retirement: birding, photography, and learning about things with wings.

Two days ago I finally made my first trip of the year to Cape May from my Philadelphia base. Several hours of leisurely strolling through the state park and conservancy trails was a much needed tonic. The birds, butterflies, and dragonflies were almost an extra bonus.

I think the highlight of the day (other than just being there) was the Belted Kingfisher which hovered just a few feet above my head as it fished one of the ponds ...

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

I never tire of sitting on a sandy beach and watching the Sanderlings chase the waves -  (true sand-pipers as opposed to the mud-pipers which would better describe most peeps) ...

Sanderling

Sanderling

Sanderling

... or finding a quiet spot where solitary contemplation is shared only with a Solitary Sandpiper doing its solitary foraging ...

Solitary Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

And what else can improve a perfectly sunny, warm summer day than standing on a causeway a few feet from a gracefully elegant Great Egret as it preens and then stalks with such focused attention and patience? ...

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Looking forward to a Labor Day filled with labors of love!

Spectacular Backyard Birds

When bringing in the wash this afternoon, a Baltimore Oriole was singing amid the crabapple blossoms in the tree at the side of our home - spectacular!

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Meanwhile, the courtship among the Evening Grosbeaks has been hot and heavy, perhaps due to there being (by my count) an extra male vying for the hand of a lady ...

Evening Grosbeak displaying

The courtship stepped up a notch today. Besides demonstrating his overall sexiness through displaying, the males have had to demonstrate that they know what to do when a youngster begs for food ... feeding of females has been more noticeable this year than in any previous year.

"Feed Me," she says.

"Now."

("Perhaps he will know what to do with my young.")

The Indigo Bunting continues to appear off and on, and is heard singing in nearby trees.

Indigo Bunting

Few people will put the Common Grackle in the spectacular category, but the iridescence of the bronzed body and purple head are breathtaking this time of year. And if anyone reading this says that they don't like blackbirds, remember that blackbirds (Icterids) include grackles, red-wings, and Northern Oriole.

Common (Bronzed) Grackle

Good Birding!

The Joy of S*x

Ah yes ... the joy of the Spring activity. A couple of bird walks this weekend yielded many warblers hurrying toward their breeding grounds, feeding frenzily, and singing lustily. Most were high in the canopy, but this Black-throated Green Warbler was closer to lens ...

Black-throated Green Warbler

The walks in the woods are marvelous, but for theatrical entertainment, sitting quietly on the back porch provides front row seats to drama, intrigue, and rivalry.

Five Evening Grosbeak males (perhaps six) are vying for the attention of four (best count) females, so there is sorting, accommodating, and liaisons to figure out. The guys are getting serious, with raised crest, raised tail, and flared wings becoming prevalent and insistent ...

Evening Grosbeak

 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (we have had five males and a lesser number of females) are gentlemen toward one another, but they have their moments ...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

For shear truculence, there is nothing that can match the 1 gram package of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. This guy perched 15 feet in front of us, until an intruder came along. He did his rapid "U" shaped display and totally cowed the poor rival who sped off - tried again - and again - and was driven off each time ...

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

By contrast, the dispute between Northern Cardinal males was almost gentlemanly, but no less serious ...

Northern Cardinals

Two transients made brief stops in the yard - welcome visitors not seen in the yard every year ...

Brown Thrasher ...

Brown Thrasher

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Not to be overlooked in the profusion of life bursting forth as the tiny gems at our feet, like the trout lily ...

Trout Lily

... or in the garden, the Crown Imperial ...

Crown Imperial

Listen to the birds ... visually consume the flowers ... celebrate Spring!!

Common Merganser Nuptials

My neighbor reported to me that a pair of Common Mergansers were courting on the gravel island in the river behind his home. I can see the area from my yard, so I have kept an eye on the area.

The truth was even more fun - one handsome drake appeared to be at the center of a love triangle, pursing one on the island, though a merganser on land hardly poses much of a pursuit threat. (On the other hand, she's not great at fleeing on land.)

 

Next he headed back to the water to impress a second hen ...

That's when the watching became really fun. To a lay observer, it looked like the two hens were displaying for the drake, or trying to intimidate the other ...

Spring Returns - and so do Old Friends

Since returning home to Vermont from our wintering in Philadelphia, we have been immersed in needed work on our home - hence the hiatus in posts.

But today was a Spring day, and early in the morning I headed out to greet returning friends.

Along the Connecticut River, abundant Yellow-rumped Warblers in their prom-going finery were joined by a few Palm Warblers ...

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

Also along the Connecticut River, Osprey were busy building their nest on a transmission tower and pursing their courtship ...

Osprey

In nearly every location I stopped, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were actively "singing" and displaying ...

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

During late April in our back yard, we watched many species in active courtship, including Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ...

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 ... and Belted Kingfisher, a trio of which put on quite an air show one evening as we sat on the lawn.

Belted Kingfisher

In the realm of serendipitous good fortune, Evening Grosbeaks are again performing their pre-nups in our yard, and we anticipate that we will have another summer of helping to raise their young.

Evening Grosbeak

And finally, when I returned home for lunch, I was greeted by a stunning Rose-breasted Grosbeak and his shy lady lover ...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 Spring!! ... and after a long, tough winter, a time of exceptionally Good Birding!!

Brigantine Today

After two months in Philadelphia, we finally got a good day for driving to, and birding, some of the prime nearby place. We made an early morning drive to Forsyth NWR, Brigantine unit. Good birding, and a few decent photographic opportunities.

Highlight undoubtedly was the number of Osprey setting up housekeeping for another summer. I never remember to begin an actual count until I am well along, so I have to estimate that we saw at least 15-20 Osprey ...

Osprey

Male Osprey off to forage and prove he can provide for her chicks.

Tree Swallows return early, but Barn Swallows were also present today, and Purple Martins were staking claim to nesting sites ...

Purple Martin

 The large wintering flocks of waterfowl have, for the most part, gone north, but there were still good numbers present. A sampling ...

Hooded Mergansers - female

Brandt

Green-winged Teal

Among the returning songbirds, I was most delighted by the Black-and-White Warbler, a forerunner of the warblers that make our eastern states the envy of the world ...

Black-and-White Warbler

And finally, closer to our Philadelphia home in the last week, highlights include Rusty Blackbird at Heinz NRW ...

Rusty Blackbird

... and up to 25 Wood Ducks along the Wissahickon Creek.

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Good Birding!!