Broad Meadow Brook: Worcester, MA (8/20)

After getting back from the Cape we decided to spend a relaxing afternoon at BMB doing some butterfly monitoring. It was sunny and 85 deg and the flowers were blooming, especially the Joe-Pye-Weed. The Ground Nut was growing like crazy and threatening to choke off everything in its territory. Even so, the butterflies were pretty sparse. But we did have a Buckeye (my second for the sanctuary this year) which made the trip worthwhile.

Butterflies: Cabbage White, Great Spangled Frittilary, Clouded Sulphur, Peck's Skipper, Common Ringlet, Eastern Tailed-blue, Common Wood Nymph, Dun Skipper, Crossline Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, Viceroy, Common Buckeye, Broad-winged Skipper, Tiger Swallowtail

Cape Cod - Final Tally

Here's a list of all the wildlife we saw during our week all over Cape Cod:

Birds: Savanna Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, Northern Mockingbird, Gray Catbird, Red Wing Blackbird, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Mourning Dove, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, American Robin, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Peregrin Falcon, American Crow, Least Sandpiper, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover, Semi-palmated Plover, Piping Plover, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Willet, Whimbrel, Short-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Laughing Gull, Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Greater Black Back Gull, Least Tern, Common Tern, American Oystercatcher, Osprey, Black Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Canada Goose, Domestic Goose, Whip-poor-will, Common Loon, Brown Thrasher, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Eastern Phoebe, Great-crested Flycatcher, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Brant, Common Eider, Rock Pigeon, Red-eyed Vireo, American Redstart

Butterflies: Pearl Crescent, Monarch, Cabbage White, Common Wood Nymph, Summer Azure, Striped Hairstreak, Orange Sulphur, Sed Spotted Purple, Least Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, Broad-winged Skipper, Mullberrywing Skipper

Mammals: Eastern Cottontail, Gray Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, Gray Seal, Meadow Vole, Red Fox

Herps: Fowler's Toad, Bullfrog, Eastern Painted Turtle, Green Frog, Redback Salamander

Other: Hermit Crab, Horseshoe Crab, Fiddler Crab

Cape Cod Day 8 - Wellfleet Bay MAS (8/19)

After packing up to leave on Saturday morning, my Dad and I drove over to Wellfleet Bay once more (while my Mom and sister went to the flea market). We walked out to the bay and were surprised to find a strange bird along the shore. At first I thought it was a Canada Goose but after a quick look thru my binoculars, it was easy to see it was a Brant. He really stuck out like a sore thumb standing near the Ruddy Turnstones and Black-bellied Plovers. We admired the solitary bird for a few minutes before starting back.

On our way back we passed another visitor and swapped stories with him for a few minutes. When we started to go our separate ways, he stopped and called us over. In a small tree just to the left of the path was a Red-tailed Hawk. He couldn't have been more than 10 -12 feet off the ground. The hawk was intently watching the ground as if he had seen something to eat and he didn't leave even when I got close to take a picture or two. His presence attracted more than birdwatchers as a Northern Cardinal called nervously from a nearby tree. Then a Ruby-throated Hummingbird buzzed in for a look. What a strange sight!

Cape Cod Day 7 - Nauset Marsh (8/18)

After dinner on Friday we decided to take one last trip to Nauset Marsh for a little birding. We had noticed that Wellfleet Bay had sceduled a trip there to coincide with the incoming tide. It sounded good to us, so we arrived around 7:00 and made our way down to the boadwalk. As we came down the path we saw the Audubon group and, to our surprise, their leader was Dan Bedard (one of our birding buddies from central Massachusetts).

We set up our scope nearby and listened to Dan point out the birds of the marsh. He really impressed me on how easily he handled the crowd. He's a real natural.. hopefully he continues leading trips in the future.

The birds of the marsh were almost identical to the ones we had seen earlier in the week. They were mostly Semi-palmated Plovers, Least and Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Dowagers, and Yellowlegs were all spotted. The Green Heron (or on of his cousins) was fishing from the same dead branch along the creek. But it was still fun to watch the birds feed.

But, the highlight of the night was another Peregrin Falcon. He flew in from the right and spooked all of the shorebirds up. They circled the marsh a couple of times but didn't leave. Then, when the falcon landed the other birds did as well and promptly began feeding again. Amazing.

Cape Cod Day 7 - Pamet and Pilgrim Heights (8/18)

After a great buffet breakfast on Friday morning we headed out to do some morning hiking. We started at the Pamet area in Truro. We hiked to the top of the hill to get a good view but didn't stay long enough to explore much else.

We left to head out to P-town before we lost the entire morning. All day we had been trying to decide if we wanted to go out on a whale watch. We go every year but this year we had decided to pass on the trip (there's only so much you can do in a week). But we had heard reports of 20 Humpbacks from a returning whale watch boat on Wednesday and that was very tempting. So, we headed out from Pamet so that we might catch a noon boat. But, it was not to be since when we called the Dolphin Fleet didn't have any openings until 5:00.

So, we changed plans and drove to Pilgrim Heights instead. There are a few different trails in this area but we chose Small's Swamp Trail. The trail was short but enjoyable. We spotted dozens of Least Skippers drifting around the boardwalk and several Orioles called from the trees. Under a large leaf I found a group of caterpillars. I've never seen this species before so I have no idea what they were. Not far away, one of the biggest wasps I've ever seen was exploring a bunch of white flowers. Midway down the trail was a great view of the landscape, kettle ponds, and ocean in the distance.

We made our way back to the parking lot for lunch before heading to Race Point Beach for the afternoon.

Cape Cod Day 6 - Red Foxes (8/17)

On the way home from a concert on Thursday night we were forced to brake to avoid hitting a Red Fox which bolted across the street. Good thing that we did too since a second fox followed the first only a fraction of a second later. Caught in our headlights it paused in the road for a heartbeat before rushing safely into the bushes.

Cape Cod Day 6 - Marconi Beach (8/17)

In the afternoon we headed back to the beach. I only mention this because we spotted a large "raft" of Common Loons in the distance. We counted a dozen birds. I've never seen this species in such a large group.

Cape Cod Day 6 - Fort Hill and Red Maple Swamp Trail (8/17)

On Thursday morning we headed over to Fort Hill for a hike. During our normal vacation week (the beginning of August) the Green-head Flies can be unbearable at this site. But a week later and they were nowhere to be found. We started at the parking lot at the top of the hill. The view of the water was fantastic. After admiring the landscape for a few minutes we started down the trail. Near the parking lot there was a family of rabbits munching on the vegetation. We also found a land snail attempting to cross the path.

But, in general it was pretty quiet. The meadow still had a good number of flowering plants but there were very few birds or butterflies. The flowers were nice though. Amongst the field of Milkweed were patches of Common Evening Primrose, Chickory, Goldenrod, and Hedge Bindweed. The entire trail was enveloped in the scent of Honeysuckle and even the Bull Thistle was attractive.

We followed the path thru the woods until it opened up to the boat launch. After enjoying the view from a comfortable bench we started back. On the return trip we decided to take the Red Maple Swamp trail. From the boardwalk we spotted a Northern Cardinal and were even able to identify a Great-crested Flycatcher after a getting a good look at him through our binoculars.

After exiting the swamp we made our way up the hill to the parking lot. Along the road we found a couple more flowers (#1, #2, #3) which I can't identify. It was a very nice morning hike... except that we didn't hear one Bobwhite call (which was very abnormal for this location).

Before heading home for lunch we stopped at a small conservation area along the bike path in Eastham. This location is a good place for butterflies and we've even found Box Turtles there in past year. This year the butterflies were a bit low but we did find a Spicebush Swallowtail and some Eastern Tailed-blues.

Even though it was around noon we still were able to find some nice birds. A few American Redstarts hawked for insects and I was able to ID a Red-eyed Vireo. But we seemed to "miss" more birds than we could identify. One bird in particular called almost incessently but, when we finally forced it to fly, we didn't get a good enough look to figure out what it was.

But, the best sighting was a family of mice (I couldn't tell if they were Deer Mice or White-footed Mice) that I found when I turned over a piece of plywood. There were mice of all sizes in the group and, after a second or so of stunned stillness, they scattered to different hiding places.

Cape Cod Day 5 - Bayside Talk (8/16)

After dinner on Wednesday we headed over to Wellfleet Bay to listen to the Bayside talk. The sanctuary brings in a new speaker every week to talk about a nature related subject. We try to attend at least one talk each vacation. In the past we've seen presentations on coyotes, horseshoe crabs, etc.

This week's talk was by Tim Voorhais of Gulf of Maine Productions. Tim works as a spotter pilot. He flies a small aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean looking for schools of fish. He also works with representatives of the the Div. of Marine Fisheries on a Basking Shark research program. Tim explained that he locates the sharks and then radios their locations to a boat which tags the animals.

In addition to this work, Tim has taken up digital photography and has taken some unbelievable shots of the animals living off of Cape Cod. His images are truly stunning in that they give you a vastly different view of these great animals than the typical naturalist gets from a whale watch boat.

Tim's talk was filled with great stories but the most riveting one was about a pod of Orcas which he found attempting to prey on a Right Whale calf in 2005. Tim explained that the smaller whales tried for several hours to separate the calf from its mother but, in the end, they were unsuccessful. Orcas are particularly rare in the Northeast so his pictures were critical to documenting this event.

Tim also presented a slideshow of his images and commented on the state of our neck of the Atlantic Ocean. Here are some of the interesting observations that stuck in my mind:

1. Most of the large Bluefin Tuna are gone but smaller ones (40 lb range) are plentiful.
2. The population of Bluefish has exploded.
3. So has the population of Gray Seals (Tim wondered, as I have, how long before the large sharks follow this food source to the Cape)
4. Smelts have been overfished.

This is some informed insight on the status of our fisheries. Hopefully Tim will continue his work and will get the opportunity to work closer with our government agencies to document population growth or decline.

Cape Cod Day 5 - Beech Forest Trail (8/16)

On Wednesday we got up early and headed out to Provincetown. Our first stop was at the Beech Forest Trail. This is a really unique place. As the name suggests, the area is filled with Beech trees. As you walk thru the forest, the sand under your feet is the only thing to remind you that you're only a few hundred yards from the ocean.

I'm guessing that the large kettle pond at the center of the forest makes it possible for the larger trees to survive. The trails themselve skirt along the water's edge. Breaks in the vegetation along the trail allowed fantastic views of the water. We spied several birds who were making the area home. Tree Swallows and Eastern Phoebes shot out over the water to catch insects as a Eastern Wood Peewee called from further back in the forest. Several Fowler's Toads hopped along the trail and Bullfrogs and Green Frogs could be found sunning themselves between the lilypads.

One of the offshoot trails was so interesting that I forced myself to climb the steep incline. At the top I was rewarded with a spectacular view of the famous Provincetown dunes. I retreated back into the forest and continued to the dock. There I spooked a Spotted Sandpiper who flew to the opposite side of the pond and resumed feeding.

Lastly, this area is famous for its tame Chickadees. If you have some seed and hold it out for them, they'll take it from you. There are signs on the property which ask you not to feed the wildlife but its just too cool not to try it at least once.

After finishing up at the Beech Forest, we heaed into the city for a snack at the Portuguese Bakery and a walk on the docks. There we found some Common Eider and Double-crested Cormorants near the breakwater. Finally it was off to the Province Lands Visitor Center before heading back to Marconi Beach to cool off.

Cape Cod Day 4 - First Encounter Beach (8/15)

After supper the skies finally cleared so we decided that it was a good night to try our luck at First Encounter Beach. We arrived as the tide started to go out. The beach was pretty clear other than a couple of fishermen and a large family out for an evening swim. At the end of the beach across the inlet was a group of birds. They were mostly gulls but Yellowlegs and other shorebirds were mixed in as well. As the sun went down more and more birds came into this area to roost.

The beach had its share of good birds too. The beach was rife with Semi-palmated Plovers and we even spotted a pair of Horned Larks. I "stalked" them for several yards but they just didn't want to turn and give me a good shot.

Finally we watched as the sun set over the bay and watched as the reflecting light turned the clouds behind us a brilliant shade of pink.

Cape Cod Day 4 - Monomoy NWR (8/15)

On Tuesday we decided to travel down to Chatham to visit Monomoy NWR. We usually take a boat out to South Beach for a day of birding but the walk was too much for us this year. Instead we decided to walk along the shore of the island.

Unfortunately we made these plans the night before. When we woke up the skies were overcast and rain was in the forecast but we decided to make the trip anyhow. When we got to the island, the wind was howling. But there was still a lot to be seen. In addition to the terns, dowagers, and sandpipers we were able to identify at least one Piping Plover. Savana Sparrows popped in and out of the grasses looking for food. As we stood there watching, a Peregrin Falcon flew by and scared everything up. Even this expert flyer was having difficulties with the fierce wind.

But the best part of the walk was the Horseshoe Crabs. It was almost low tide and if you walked ankle deep in the water you could find hundreds of them. Almost all of them were small, no bigger than a dinner roll. I'm not sure how old this makes them but the beach was littered with their molted shells.

Before we left we stopped an the refuge visitor's center for a quick look at the exhibits. Then it was off to the nearby docks where we found a few American Oystercatchers before the rain started.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty much a washout so we decided to stop at some of our favorite spots. First was the Birdwatcher's General Store in Orleans. This is a great place to shop, even if you don't like birds (the store posts humorous signs everywhere). Then we drove to the Salt Pond Visitor Center for our annual showing of "Cape Cod: Sands of Time".

Cape Cod Day 3 - Wellfleet Bay MAS (8/14)

On Monday evening we headed back to Wellfleet Bay for a sunset walk. All along the trails we spotted Fowler's Toads hopping out of the way. While there were one or two larger ones, most of them were still pretty tiny. One toadlet was so small that he was able to hop across the green alge that was growing on the tidal pool. As we walked the trail, a small flock of Whimbrels flew over our heads. It looked like they were on their way to roost but we would see them several times before we left for the night.

As we emerged from the pine forest we were greeted by the familiar Fiddler Crabs who were sucking nutrients from the sand. We continued to the edge of the bay where we found the tide was relatively high but there were still plenty of birds. There were Ruddy Turnstones mixed in with a group of Black-bellied Plovers and we spotted a solitary Willet amongst the Yellowlegs. Before we knew it we were forced to make a speedy retreat before the main gate of the sanctuary closed at 8:00.

Cape Cod Day 3 - Marconi Beach (8/14)

Monday was a hot day so we got up early and headed to Marconi Beach. I was a strange year at the ocean side beaches since a significant amount of seaweed was in the water almost everywhere we went. Some if it was the common brown mung that we're used to but there was also some "leafy" green seaweed as well. At Marconi, a high tide had deposited a good amount of the stuff in a large depression that ran parallel to the water for several hundred yards.

But some of the seaweed was still trapped at the waters edge. As we got further away from the crowds, we found several flocks of shorebirds feeding off this rackline. In the water we spied a small group of Scoters as well as some Common and Least Terns.

When I got into the water I understood what attracted these birds. Just past the floating seaweed were thousands of small fish. They seemed to flow around your body as you waded thru the water.

Then there were the Gray Seals. We spotted them every time we went to the beach. They were everywhere (more on that later).

Cape Cod Day 2 - Nauset Marsh (8/13)

On Sunday we decided to try our luck at Nauset Marsh (which is located behind Coast Guard Beach). We tried to time the tides right but when we got there the sea water was just starting to drain. The area was packed with birds though. We spotted several shorebirds (Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Semi-palmated Plovers, Yellowlegs, Dowagers) and all sorts of larger birds (Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Snowy Egrets). There were even some Black Ducks enjoying the sunny morning and Common Terns diving for fish.

We continued towards the beach and set up our scope on the bridge right behind the rescue station. When I scanned the small creek opposite of the flats I got a glimpse of a Green Heron. It stood motionless for the longest time before striking the water and coming up with a small fish. I was happy to get at least one good shot of this great bird.

Also while we were enjoying the flats our attention was drawn to a Red-tailed Hawk screaming from above us. After focusing on the hawk for a couple of minutes we noticed a few other raptors soaring much higher up. I couldn't be sure but I thought that these may have been Broad-wing Hawks in migration.

As for butterflies, we did have a few. They were mostly the common ones (Pearl Crescent, Cabbage White, Monarch) but we did find one worn hairstreak that we identified as a Striped.

Cape Cod Day 1 - Meteor Shower (8/12)

On Saturday night we headed over to Marconi Station to watch the Perseid meteor shower. We got there a bit before darkness fell and were treated to a nice sunset. As the daylight retreated we could hear a single Whip-Poor-Will calling from the nearby woods. We only saw a few meteors (they are supposed to be best just before dawn) but the view of the starry sky from the observation deck was worth the trip.

Cape Cod Day 1 - Wellfleet Bay MAS (8/12)

Last week I vacationed at Cape Cod with my family. I will try to provide highlights of the trip on a day-by-day basis since it will make for more manageable posts.

Saturday was our first day. We spent most of the day traveling but got to Eastham a few hours early. So we decided to check out the grand reopening of the Wellfleet Bay Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary. This is a place we visit several times each year... so many times that I could probably walk it blindfolded. As we drove in the parking lot I was immediately struck by the changes. The main office had been doubled in size and the flower garden had been totally redone. Also, the boardwalk at the mudflats had been resurfaced with plastic "boards".

In general these were significant improvements to the property. The larger building will house the summer camps much easier and the new lecture hall is great. Its a huge leap forward from the cramped one they used to have (boy could that room get hot). But, I couldn't help but think that the money would have been better spent aquiring new land. I realize that this is a very popular sanctuary and it brings in significant contributions. But I think that the organization as a whole would be better served by redistibuting this wealth to other, less visited areas. The improvements just reminded me of the huge house that are going up all over the cape: big for the sake of being big.

That being said, I enjoyed the day. There was a raptor show (American Kestrel, Screech Owl, Common Raven), a steel band, and free ice cream from Ben and Jerry's. It was a great way to start off the week.

Pittburg, NH (8/3 - 8/6)

Last week I took a few days off to spend a long weekend in northern New Hampshire with other members of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club. We stayed at the Powderhorn Cabins which are located on Back Lake in Pittsburg, NH.

We drove up on Thursday morning and arrived at the cabins around 4:00. We were greeted by a flock of Cedar Waxwings feasting on berries along the shore of the lake. We also got quick glimpses of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird as it nectared at a feeder.

After settling in and having dinner we went out with the group to search for Moose along Rt. 3. We did have any luck finding a Moose but we did find a White-tailed Deer grazing alongside the roadd. At one of the lakes where we stopped we did find a Common Merganzer with her babies and a Spotted Sandpiper along the water. Back at the lake later that night we were treated to several bats swooping down over the water to catch insects. As the darkness took over we could hear the calls from Common Loons from across the lake.

The next morning I got up early to see what could be found along the road by the cabins. The trees were filled with warblers and other small birds. I was able to pick out Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, and both Black-capped and Boreal Chickadees. Later, as the group was about to leave we got a quick glimpse of a pair of Evening Grosbeaks. They swooped down to pick up some pebbles only a few feet from me but were gone before I could train my binauculars on them.

From the cabins we drove over to a large general use area in town. The area was used for logging as well as hunting and fishing. Apparently it was good habitat for Spruce Grouse though we didn't see any during our trip.

Driving through the area I was struck by the uniformity of the flora. The evergreens dominated the landscape and only a few flowing plants flourished at the margins. Fireweed, Pearly Everlasting, Bunchberry, Orange Hawkweed, and both New England and White-topped Aster were widespread. But we could fing very little else (maybe this was due to the time of year).

The lack of diversity extended to the butterflies as well. We found most of our target species but in general the species numbers were low. The highlights were the Commas (Green, Gray, and Hoary) and the Common Branded Skippers. We also found one Pink-bordered Sulphur and what may have been a Western Tailed-blue.

The birds were nice too. Around one of the fishing ponds we located a Canada Warbler and a few Redstarts. A Great Blue Heron was seen fishing across the water. As the trip was ending, I found a Garter Snake basking in the sun by a small bridge. When he saw me, he took cover in a large crack in the abutment. Unfortunately for him, that hiding spot was already taken by another garter. I climbed down over the rocks and got a look at both heads until they contorted back further into the crack.

After dinner we went back out to try agian to find a Moose. The evening started well when we spotted a Red Fox walking along the road. A few minutes later a parked car alerted us to a female Moose walking through the woods. We were able to watch her for a few minutes before she disappeared from view.

The next day we returned to the same area and had similar sightings. I did find a cool moth on a flower and got a nice shot of an unidentified damselfly. We also found what looked like a Mink Frog in a beaver pond. Unfortunately it was too far away to make a definitive ID. As the day closed out the group got good looks at a Ruffed Grouse before it flushed into the woods.

Sunday was a travel day but we decided to stop at a few locations on the way home. The best was The Cascades in Franconia Notch State Park. I had hiked there many times when I was younger and returning to the site brought back all sorts of good memories of rock hoping up the river. The best part was my sister found a cool salamander under a rotten log she turned over.

I think that the strangest part of the trip was how much cooler it was only a few hundred miles north. On Saturday night, the temperatures were in the upper 40's. When I got back to my house in Cromwell on Sunday night, my thermostat read 84.

Mammals: Moose, Snowshoe Hare, Red Squirrel, Eastern Coyote, Bat (species unknown), Red Fox

Herps: Maritime Garter Snake, American Toad, Bullfrog, Green Frog, Wood Frog, Mink Frog (?), Leopard Frog, Salamander larvae (species unknown), ??? Salamander

Butterflies: Green Comma, Gray Comma, Hoary Comma, Common Branded Skipper, Pink-edged Sulphur, Monarch, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, Question Mark, Atlantis Frittilary, Silver-bordered Frittilary, Cabbage White, Western Tailed-blue (?)

Leaving for Pittsburg, NH (8/3)

I'm sorry that I haven't posted pictures for my last two entries. I actually got a few nice shots that I'd like to share but I didn't have time to edit them this week. And now I'm about to leave for a short vacation up in Pittsburg, NH. Hoipefully I'll have a ton of nice photos to share when I get back.

Broad Meadow Brook MAS, Worcester (7/31)

On Sunday we went over to BMB for another session of butterfly monitoring. Even though it was pretty hot, there wasn't much activity. We did find around 25 Broadwing Skippers in the Fragmities along the brook though.

Also, as we walked back Trioano towards Dunkirk St I spotted what I thought was a Groundhog crossing the path. He got to the brook and then turned around and headed back into the Fragmities. I didn't get a great look at it but it was too large to be a Muskrat and it had a bushy tail which eliminates Beaver. I just don't know if the sanctuary has ever had a report of a Groundhog. I'll have to ask around.

Plum Island (7/30)

To escape the summer heat, my parents and I decided to go to the beach. We figured that by going to Parker River NWR, we could cool down and also do some birding.

A rare exotic, a Black-tailed Godwit, had been discovered there earlier in the month and birders had been reporting it ever since. When we got to the refuge, we checked the whiteboard and saw that the bird had been reported earlier in the morning. We searched for a while but never found it and gave up in favor of a swim in the ocean.

After spending the hottest part of the day by the ocean, we decided to pack up and make our way out, stopping at the sites as we went. First we made the short climb to the top of the outermost tower. From this vantage point, the view of the refuge was pretty spectacular. As we admired the scenery, a Northern Harrier flew into the marsh spooking flock of birds as it passed by. The harrier touched down a couple of times but didn't appear to catch anything (at least while we watched).

Also, from the top of the tower we could hear several Cedar Waxwings in the bushes below. When we finally climbed to the bottom of the tower, we noticed that there was actually a nest in the bushes which held three baby waxwings. We watched them for a couple minutes before continuing on.

A bit up the road we decided to stop to see if the Ospreys were visible on their nesting platform. Atthis location, the green-head flies and mosquitos had joined forces to make the path virtually unwalkable. But, after hosing down with bug spray, we were able to make it. And, it was worth it. Besides getting good looks at the Ospreys we also found several Red-spotted Purples in the bushes. The field adjacent to the path was filled with Monachs and we also spotted a few pairs of Bobolinks.


Butterflies: Monach, Tiger Swallowtail, Common Wood Nymph, Red-spotted Purple, Dun Skipper, Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur