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Lots of great shorebirds migrating through both Belle Isle and Plum Island.

                                                              American Avocet

                    Red-breasted Nuthatch , one of 3 that has been hanging out for the past + week.

American Lotus garden, planted thousands of years ago by Native Americans for harvest.

Vesper Sarrow

A quick trip up to the Kennebunk Plains or the Blueberry Barrens. The habitat management has been slacking there and the grassland habitat is slipping into successional scrub. We did get great looks at Vesper Sparrow and Field Sparrow. We also got quick looks at Eastern Meadow Lark and Upland Sandpiper.  Downside was no Grasshopper Sparrow \ upside delicious Blueberries everywhere.

                                                                      Vesper Sparrow

Virginia Rails - Belle Isle

This morning I came across a few juvenile Virginia Rails hanging out by the first fresh water pool at Belle Isle. The juveniles were quite hilarious, chasing flies and checking me out. I may have been the first person these guys got a look at, they were more inquisitive than scared, not a common trait with Rails.  The Virginia Rail is a very secretive what might be called a waterbird of sorts, in the Family Rallidae. Rails inhabit marshes and freshwater ponds with abutting reeded areas for breeding. With Laterally compressed bodies Rail can move through the thick marsh vegetation, making this nearly impenetrable habitat a safe breeding location. Short of hearing the Rail's "clicky" call at dawn or dusk, Rails are a seldom seen species of the marsh.

 

Scarlet Tanager

I spent the day in Maine checking out some northern breeding birds. I found Blackburnian Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, Canada Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush and Winter Wren. I Also got some good shots of Scarlet Tanager, also very numerous.

Belle Isle Meadow

 Today I spent some time removing invasive plants from the meadow and enjoying its beauty.

 Killdeer nest; look how the adult male prepares and organizes sticks and pebbles around the nest to make it attractive for the female.

                                                                  Wildflowers

                                                               Garter Snakes

                                                            Snake skin after being shed

Baby Mink

Geoff Woods has been on a mammal tare, finding a Otter family and a Mink family. Here is one of the baby Mink, regrettably posing next to the only road cone in the entire Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The mother bounded across the trail then this little one followed.

                                 Apparently this is what you look like when you are out birding.

Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern currently being seen on Plum Island. Also lots of pees still present in the mud flats.