Nice light yesterday afternoon.

 I spent a few hours out in the blind yesterday and missed a Vesper Sparrow which is an unusual migrant that I don't see very often. A Red-headed Woodpecker landed right in front of me on a Hackberry tree in superb light but immediately got spooked by a Grackle and took off. There's at least 2 pairs of Baltimore Orioles as I can tell the females apart and a male came down to bathe and a minute later a totally dry male came down for his turn in the stream. I can hear them singing away in different parts of the yard and I can see one hanging nest high up in one of the Oak trees. Not a bad selection of birds and a critter that I've processed this morning while I drink my English Breakfast.

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunk

Gray Catbird

Gray Catbird

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Northern Cardinal

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Assorted Images

Just few assorted shots from the last week.

Black-necked Stilt

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

House Wren

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Day out in Delaware

 The conditions although not optimal seemed OK for Horseshoe Crab spawning in the Delaware Bay. The Horseshoe Crab spawning coincides with the Red Knot migration on their way to the Arctic. The Red Knot feed on the millions of eggs laid overnight by the crabs. Low tide at Port Mahon was 6:07AM and although there were quite a few Horseshoe Crabs there was not a Red Knot to be had. Oh well, maybe next year. From Port Mahon to Bombay Hook which was pretty good, although I didn't get to see Red Knot I did get to photograph both Marsh Wren and Seaside Sparrow, neither very satisfactorily as it was windy in the reeds as they were distant and keeping their heads down.I got to photograph an adult male Orchard Oriole which was pretty nice. Further down South East to Prime Hook for the first time which wasn't what I expected being a walk around reserve rather than a drive around like Bombay Hook, yeah I know I'm an idle bastard. I did get to photograph the Purple Martins there which are much easier than at Bombay Hook with the lighting direction being much better. I want to go back soon. As we were close to Cape Henlopen State Park and I wanted to get a taste of salty air it was a no brainer to pop down there and I got to see the sea and Pelicans and Brown-headed Nuthatches. I'm going back there soon as well. All in all a very nice day out.

Osprey

Seaside Sparrow

Barn Swallow

Marsh Wren

Seaside Sparrow

Orchard Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Purple Martin

Purple Martin

Purple Martin

Brown Pelican

No Birds

Instead of sitting in the blind almost falling asleep with the lack of action I took a few flowers and scenery shots instead.

Blue-eyed Grass

Dogrose

Downstream

Memorial Lake

Star of Bethlehem

Star of Bethlehem

Lakeside Path

Upstream

 

Last Couple of Days.

 Migration is still at crawl, the odd warbler here and there moving through the yard despite the weather and wind direction. With the lack of rain recently the rocks around the waterfall have so much guano that I'm considering opening a fertilizer factory. The deck which I power washed  couple of weeks ago is covered in the Hickory tassel thingies interspersed with equal amounts of white bird crap. I need to do it again.

Here's a few birds.

Brown-headed Cowbird

Common Grackle

Common Grackle

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Magnolia Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Song Sparrow

Mutant Chicken/Song Sparrow Hybrid

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow