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.]

Red Milkweed Beetle (Charles River Peninsula)

Red Milkweed Beetle (Charles River Peninsula), originally uploaded by oehlkers.

Milkweed's in bloom at the Peninsula and all the milkweed-fed creatures are having a party. The exuberant variety of spring bird song has moved into early summer "feed me" cacophony, especially as the number of young red-winged blackbirds grows. Females explode from the long grass as you pass through.

Today's song: a lazy song sparrow duet, tree leaves rustling, mother oriole complaining.

New CRP discovery today: Cedar Waxwings. Though I didn't know it until I got home and zoomed into a photo I took of an "interesting" bird (from far away I thought it was a baby blue jay).

Pudding Pond Trail (North Conway)

Pudding Pond Trail (North Conway), originally uploaded by oehlkers.

A weekend in New Hampshire centered around the Red Jacket Inn (indoor waterpark) and Story Land. Got up early one morning and found a path right behind the resort grounds into conservation land. Swampy but a pleasant diversion. New Hampshire turns out to be Phoebe country (all the covered bridges?)