More birding -- no stitching!!

Just a bit of knitting this weekend but oh, the birding was good!!

 

I'm just home from a long birding weekend in Cape May, NJ – a bit tired so this may be a bit short.  Cape May is at the southern tip of New Jersey between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cheasapeake Bay in the eastern USA.  For many years, it has been a popular birding destination during spring and fall migrations.  We drove about 1200 miles and birded more or less from dawn to dusk Saturday and Sunday with a morning of it along the coast on the way home yesterday.  Whew!!

 

This has to be one of my favorite images – mental and photographically – of the trip.  Those are all tail ends of Pintail ducks feeding.  There are over 40 in this picture and there were probably 400 altogether in this area – same position – hardly coming up for air.  I found it quite humorous.

Here'a a picture of what they look like when they aren't bottoms-up -- quite a handsome creature!!

We had a total of 84 species – pretty good considering most of the small song birds have already migrated out of the region.  Fall is almost as challenging a time to bird as spring since the majority of the birds seen are migrating meaning that identifications can be more work since they are birds I don’t see every day.  We were pretty pleased with ourselves as we had to puzzle out about a dozen species that are pretty non-descript at first glance like these shorebirds – gray blobs?  One can tell there are two species because of the size differences but the best field mark at this time of year is the beak – do you see a beak?  We did finally get a peek at their beaks after 5 minutes of watching them through a scope and after lots of page flipping in three field guides, we ferreted out what we are pretty sure they are.

There were still a surprising number of butterflies out and about in the area – the location moderates the climate allowing for a longer insect season that we have here in Northeast Ohio.  There were quite a few Monarchs floating around and lots of these which are called Buckeyes.  The interesting thing about these was that I rarely see one so seeing dozens was astonishing to me.

As I was reviewing my photos this morning, I am as pleased with the background colors around this creature as I am with the clarity of the butterfly!!

 

These are snowy egrets – very pretty – about half the size of a great blue heron if you know that bird.  I was a bit tired by the time we spotted them and could not think of their name -- out popped “fluffy egret” so for the rest of the day, we referred to them as “fluffy” egrets whenever we saw them.

This great blue heron didn't look as awake as the egrets -- he actually looks like he would rather be somewhere warmer don't you think?

 

 It's back to the studio and the garden.  Today's goal is to finish quilting a small piece and start getting ready for a teaching trip in November. 

And there might be a walk in the woods, too!!

 

Mary Huey

 

 

 

 

I should be quilting, but . . . . . .

This afternoon, I had to make a stop at the research plot at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio to check out a group of plants I help monitor.  It was a perfect day for a short walk and for a change I didn't have to hurry along.  There was a very vocal immature red-tailed hawk making sorties out over the field from the tree line -- practice flights no doubt.   The field is mowed once a month and the large red clover was in full bloom -- such a pretty sight.

As I walked through it, yellow swallowtail butterflies leaped up out of the flowers and as I looked around, there were four of this large beauties enjoying the sunshine and nectar.

There were lots of Bumble Bees -- my little guide tells me that Bumbles have hairy abdomens and Carpenter Bees have shiny, black, hairless abdomens.

I saw at least four other butterfly species -- summer azure, silver-spotted skipper, a fritillary and this clouded sulphur.

Since I had some extra time, I walked down towards the stream through a piece of woods (found a chickadee family and a male scarlet tanager on the way) and up into another large meadow which has not been mowed yet this summer.  There wasn't much in bloom and I was turning to go back when I spotted a small orange butterfly of the Crescent family.  It was low in the grass enjoying a daisy and I'd had such good luck taking photos with my new phone that I decided to try and get one of this sweet little thing.  But it wouldn't sit still -- grrrr!

And then I looked down and there were three of them sitting on my foot!!!

I started clicking away, hoping for open wings and sure enough one obliged!

And then another arrived and they all laid their wings open to enjoy the sunshine and settled into harvesting salts from my skin, I assume.

I was so excited!!  I'm calling them Northern Crescents.  Their larval food is Asters.  They seemed very content, so I leaned down for a closer look and . . . . . .

when I put my finger in front of one it walked right up onto my hand and soon I had three of them walking over the ends of my fingers enjoying themselves. 

The experience was delightful and it reminds me what fascinating treasures are waiting to be discovered when I slow down and take the time to look around!

Mary Huey