Friday, August 21, 2009

Another Long day

2009-08-21: 12:20 am - 2:15 pm

I thought I finally had the Black-Crowned Night Heron. I shot lots of pics, then on review found I had only a Great Blue Heron that was sleeping among some logs. His neck was tucked in, and the reflections of the vegetation made his legs look yellow. Oh well... My eyes are very sensitive to bright sunlight now and I find I am having a harder time distinguishing distant birds through the camera. It' s great to have digital "film"! Delete, delete!

Anyway, we saw at least three species of sandpipers, and our first hummingbird at RH Long. We did not see the Red-Headed Woodpecker today.

I was truly amazed to see what a Wood Duck had under its wings! I think this was the time we have ever seen a Wood Duck with open wings. Much more complex and interesting than Mallards I think. (Is this why they do not spread their wings more...? It is just too much for anyone to handle!)


More pics later...

Species list:
Black-Ringed Gull (few)
Great Egrets
Mallards
Canada Geese (many fewer than usual)
Double-Crested Cormorants (more than usual)
Goldfinch (uncommon)
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (one - visiting flowers on "thistle dike")
Chickadee (H)
Kingfishers (saw one- heard many)
Cedar Waxwings
Mourning Doves
Starlings
Cowbirds (lots on one tree only)
Barn Swallows
Killdeer (lots)
Hawk (sp.)
Turkey Vulture
Great Blue Heron
Robin
Least (Semi-Palmated?) Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
(I will post "piper" pics on my PBase for ID help!)

and:
Eastern Painted Turtle "crossing the road" (answer: to be with his friends on the other side...)
Muskrat
and a lovely Viceroy butterfly (thanks for ID, Don!) on the "thistle dike" - Say, why is there a semi-transparent covering around the main body? Is this normal and I never noticed it?


The "dog guy" was there when we arrived, so I am sure it made a difference in our normal "walk-around" before we retired to the picnic pavilion for lunch and scoping.

1 comment:

Julie Craves said...

Your Monarch is a Viceroy, a mimic. See the line across the hind wings? Monarchs don't have that.