Bluebirds and other birds

A short walk at the Charles River Peninsula this morning. No birds, no birds, no birds, and bam! a ton of birds. The bluebirds were the dominant group, though traveling along was a mixed flock of palms, pines, and yellow-rumps. The bluebirds were more "playful" than I've seen before--playing king of the bird house, e.g, (above). [As always, clicking on the photos helps, though I don't promise uniformly good photography]

This one is just being kind of goofy (below), complaining at its partially obscured colleague (or parent?)


The birds were so concentrated that a photo of a bluebird would accidentally catch other birds.
Bluebird plus flicker

Bluebird plus pine warbler


My favorite CRP moments have revolved around palm warblers, and I wait all summer to see them again. I was unable, though, to catch them out in the open (and it was rather overcast today). Here's a documentary shot. Hopefully I can get some better photos over the next couple of weeks.

Early Fall at Great Meadows

Oh there are herons and herons

and herons and yellowlegs

and palm warblers


at Great Meadows right now. I initially thought the shorebird thing was over, but a sharpie revealed large flocks of peeps et al at regular intervals. It looks like shorebird action has shifted north to less visible areas.

I also kind of like these painted lady photos (click on to see full size)

Especially the slurpy tongue action.

Sundews at Ponkapoag Bog

A lovely Sunday afternoon. Let's go check out Ponkapoag instead of watching the Patriots lose. Regrettably, the trail was flooded half way through. But I found what I was looking for: sundews!

Before we turn to the sundews, a brief pitcher plant check. They seem more abundant this year compared to my visit last year around this time.

A peek inside...mosquitos.


Now, the sundews. They are smaller than you may think and easy to miss but fairly abundant amongst the spagnum, and even attached to the planks of the boardwalk in some places.



And they seem to be having pretty good success with bug catching.


There are actually two different species at Ponkapoag, round leaf and spatula leaf (above).

I love the way they curl up around their prey.


A titmouse seems to have met its maker near the trail, feathers scattered all around. This arrangement caught my eye.

Seems to sum up the bog's weird beauty.

Seabird and Whale Tales

A delightful eight hour excursion with a host of devoted birders and whale experts/enthusiasts, courtesy the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance. We needed the whole eight hours given the fog that surrounded the boat for the first four and a half.

Ocean sunfish provided a nice diversion from our fogged-in desperation.


The constant presence of shearwaters also brightened the mood a little. Here's a little sampler group: sooty, greater, and I think manx.

And here's an uncommon shot of a shearwater actually catching a fish.


When the sun finally broke through, the birding and whale watching were spectacular. We ended up east of Cape Cod, looking back at the outer Cape. A huge flock of terns (largely roseates) and others, including gannets (below) and jaegers (not photoed).




The humpbacks were also livelier in the sun. Flipper-flapping, tail-slapping, and finally, huge chest breaches from this (relatively small) guy.



Look at the splash.


A great way to end the day. See ya!

The Chickadee, A Book of Public Domain Verse

I thought readers might appreciate this, a public domain book that collects dozens and dozens of old poems about chickadees.

Labor Day morning at Great Meadows

FIRST! (I had the place to myself for a little while this morning). Most people waited for the fog to burn off. Not me. I like it.

And I like the resident common moorhen (on the left side near the middle of the dike).

Early September at Cutler

An early morning stroll down the trainside trail at Cutler. Into the fog and sun.

Young robin, grosbeak, and goldfinch in a dead tree.


Caught swamp sparrow during its toilet (as David Attenborough would say). Grows progressively puffy.




Marsh wren, heard but not seen at Cutler until now.


Bobolinks by the hundreds have assembled in the meadow. I heard their plinky call note first. The passing train throws them into the air and they fly in great yellow clouds.