 |
A 45-minute walk and a quick drive around the West Marsh in the MULE produced a decent sampling of what was on the wing as the north winds shifted south
(clockwise: black swallowtail, American goldfinch, least sandpiper, Baltimore oriole, gray catbird, and eastern kingbird)
|
My sister's recent visit prompted me to spend a little more quality time with the camera. Coming on the heals of The Biggest Week in American Birding (something I'll continue to remind is worthy of a note in your calendar for 2018), it's particularly tempting to keep one's eyes to the sky. As of Monday, I'd say our warbler activity was still low to moderate compared to the last two springs -- except for yellow warblers, who are apparently congregating in massive numbers at our property to stage some kind of yellow-feathered mutiny. They are everywhere! The more common summertime residents also put on a show against the unbelievably blue, spring sky. The collage above is just a sampling of some that posed for the camera.
Bird activity on the marsh is definitely on the uptick, and the wind has FINALLY shifted south/southwest (as of Tuesday), ushering in higher temperatures, lower bay levels, and more birds. Yesterday was a busy day in the field. With temperatures tickling the 90-degree mark for the first time this spring, my hands were often too sweaty to handle the camera. That said I did spend the end of the day following a Baltimore Oriole as it sought out the perfect perch in the lush greenery of one of the large cottonwoods near the bunkhouse. When I see -- and hear -- the orioles in the tall trees, I know school is winding down, and summer is just around the corner!
 |
| This vibrant male was much more interested in singing than he was posing for the camera; remember to click on any image to enlarge and click here to hear this bird |