September Wrap Up

     September proved a month that was tough on myself in so many ways. Without getting into details, it did pump the breaks on how much I was able to go out birding but I was grateful for any time that I did get in the out-of-doors. But anyway, here are some birds and here's to looking at October and getting some more outside time!

Some days there are not many birds, thankfully there is still chances to watch other winged things like butterflies and dragonflies.
A monarch sips some nectar from a clover.

Clouded sulphurs were abundant that day and vivid, some were quite orange.

Oh, hai!
A milkweed bug peeks out to take a gander at the world.

The very very smol eastern tailed blue.

A favorite of mine, the buckeye. I love its oranges and browns.

A very not shy house wren. One of the very few birds I saw this day at the salt marsh.

I got the chance to take my friend Christine kayaking for the first time, so I figured the best place to go for two marine bio nerds, the salt marsh!
The yellow-crowned night herons stared us down as we passed them by.

We enjoyed some really nice views of a little blue heron actively hunting.

We also got good look at the other blue heron, the great blue heron.
(I personally think the little blue is also great, if not greater...)

Last weekend I went to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge to look for some avocets.
I found them.
Do you see them?

There they are, tucked up to the left of GREG (great egret).

Big John's pond on the east pond side gave a nice look at green winged teals.

An Eastern Phoebe hunting over Big John's pond. 

An Eastern Comma lands on the rail leading to Big John's pond.

Here's to more birds in October!

End of August

     And another month comes and goes.

     A collection of where I have been since returning from Colorado, North Brigatine Wildlife Area (NJ), Prospect park, Green-Wood Cemetery, and Plumb Beach. I have just passed my species total from last year (257 species), so I'm feeling pretty happy about all things bird.

I got up early on a pre-wedding weekend of female shenanigans figuring no one would wake till at least 11am. An 8am outing was easy. I found that a $15 uber will get you from the hotel in Atlantic City to this wildlife area on North Brigatine.
A few things to know, it is a (permit needed) driving beach. This took away from the place. Didn't seem to find trails, and honestly if I did, the insects were relentless, even with deet on.
But I saw this Eastern Cottontail!

I also saw a few juvenile common terns just begging while their adult hunted. Even though fully flighted, this youngster knows about opportunity -- especially fi someone will still do the work for you!

This, a different youngster managed to catch a mole crab. And consumed it. Never really thought terns to eat them!

A very poised semipalmated sandpiper.
Only saw semipalmated sandpipers and plovers as well as sanderling, in terms of shore birds here.

A little splash in that run!

No. Nothing to see here.
You don't see me. Nothing but us grains of sand here, doing sandy things. But unlike the other sands, I won't end up in your shoe.

Nothing here, but sand. I am sand.

Young ghost crabs look like sand.

A young laughing gull.
I love their soft greys.

A thick, dense fog rolled in super fast and was my cue to get back the our hotel. I would recommend Forsythe over this place if you happen to be in this area.

I had last weekend to myself while my husband was away and enjoyed a lot of birding around Brooklyn.
Jeana and I birded over 10 miles between Prospect Park and Green-Wood Cemetery!
We also got to see some teenage wood ducks.

We also had some encounters with insects. The red-spotted admiral was not smart in where it chose to land. Until it walked onto Jeana and we could coax it off of the asphalt walking path.

We also happened upon this young green heron who had that Birdie Sanders look going on.
This one was mildly successful in capturing dragonflies.

A very cute stilty boi.

In Green-Wood we say a flycatcher, a least flycatcher.

Now a rare Brooklyn sight, a whistle pig!

I sure do like them -- I think the Cemetery loathes them,

Please don't dig up any dead bodies please, k thanks! :)

This orange moth caught my attention, maybe an inch long, with pink lines and spots, feather antennae, I learned this is a chickweed geometer moth.
Geometer moths tend to be your "imnchworms" as we know them.

A very cute common yellowthroat.

Also very cute, a least flycatcher whole just swallowed down a honey bee from the hives at Green-Wood Cemetery.

And that honeybee was quite filling that it took a few minutes to sit still and preen!

It was fun to watch this little bird strecth, contort, ruffle its feathers, and move around in ways you don't typically ever get to see a small flycatcher move.

:-D

An American Lady at Plumb Beach. As I avoided off-leash dogs, naked people, and people who questionably spent the night at the beach. Sadly, none of these were avoided.
I question Plumb and when it will get better enforcement for the sake of wildlife.

A snowy egret on the marsh at low tide.

Very cute, very dapper, very semipalmated plover.

Another August comes and goes, onto September and continuing fall migration...