Noon Hill

Noon Hill, originally uploaded by oehlkers.

Visited another Trustees of Reservations property this morning--Noon Hill and Shattuck Reservation in Medfield. Very buggy and some troublesome map/trail marking discrepancies. Got to test out an early birthday present from my brilliant wife (a "SuperEar" attachment for my Edirol). It turns out the woods are bursting with scarlet tanagers! Wood thrushes too.

Rocky Narrows

Rocky Narrows, originally uploaded by oehlkers.

Visited yet another fine Trustees of Reservations property, this time in Sherborn. Despite some trail mark-related problems, I had a glorious time. There is an exceptionally narrow and scary ridge-side trail with a steep drop (I wouldn't want to bring little kids here). Veerys were singing there, filling the air with shimmering curtains of sound (this description may seem overheated, but this is really how it felt.) Unfortunately, the recording is a little weak. I also recorded a charming but yet unidentified singer--will have to wade through the warbler records to find it, probably black-throated green warbler. And on my way out, a scarlet tanager flies by. Good day.

Cutler Park

Question Mark Caterpillar, originally uploaded by oehlkers.

Took a long walk in lower Cutler this afternoon following the train tracks down to the River. Spotted the very awesome Question Mark caterpillar on the boardwalk (I've posted a photo of the adult on our tree below). Swamp sparrows trilling on the tops of cat-tails (along with a very vocal goldfinch). Got a long distance shot of a sparrow singing. And saw some tiny stub-tail house wrens by the river--Winter Wrens, I believe. Almost stepped on a healthy-sized milk snake on my way out.

More mushrooms

Mushroom, originally uploaded by oehlkers.

Mushroom hunting in our backyard this morning turned up some beauties. This enormous toadstool, for instance. A number of Indian Pipes too (should I be embarrassed that my backyard resembles a forest floor?)

Dragonflies at the Charles River Peninsula

Dragonfly (Widow Skimmer female), originally uploaded by oehlkers.

A warm but very breezy day at the CRP. Many different kinds of dragonflies, including this pretty female Widow Skimmer (particularly attractive in flight).

House Sparrows and House Finches

House Sparrows, originally uploaded by oehlkers.

I don't hate house sparrows, despite the fact that they eat a lot of seed and cost me money and chase away other birds and really don't belong here. They have their charms, their relatively quiet moments and their bursts of exciting pugilism. (Unlike other wiser birds, who seem content to threaten and chase, house sparrows are very physical brawlers.) I've also warmed to (the equally alien) house finches. To me house finches are one of the more reptilian birds, not always that pleasant to watch close up. But now that they are in their ripe summer reds and are singing a bit I'm happy to have them around.

Backyard

Mushroom, originally uploaded by oehlkers.

Lots of backyard action these days between popping mushrooms and new bird families. The miracle of multiplication, from two chickadees to five, from two titmice to four, from two nuthatches to four (!). And everyone is very hungry. And the kids don't know exactly how feeders work, though they're figuring it out, noisily.

[UPDATE: The giant mushroom exploded. And last night, a squirrel(?) ripped it apart.]

[SUPER UPDATE: The giant mushroom returns to sporedome.]