Recent Outings

July 25, 2019 - The Coves

I have a couple of reports from my recent birding walks.  Still looking for butterflies, I saw a Cabbage White, Red Admiral, some Monarchs and a Banded Hairstreak at the Coves.  Not a lot of dragonflies....Common Whitetail and a Meadowhawk sp.  

I didn't have my bins with me but the birds I saw were a family of Wood Ducks, young Robins, 3 Great Blue Herons, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Song Sparrows, a Belted Kingfisher and American Goldfinches to name a few.

Gray Catbird

Juvenile American Robin

Great Blue Heron

Wood Ducks

Wood Ducks

Meadowhawk sp

Banded Hairstreak

July 31, 2019 - Hyde Park Drainage Pond

At Hyde Park, there were a nice variety of birds....lots of Song Sparrows, Barn and Bank Swallows, a Belted Kingfisher, a Cedar Waxwing, a Carolina Wren, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Mallards, Pied-billed Grebe, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, and Killdeers. 

This is the first time I've encountered Carolina Grasshoppers this year.   

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Pied-billed Grebe

Red-tailed Hawk

Osprey

...still not a lot of butterflies.  A Cabbage White, 2 Monarchs, Little Wood Satyr and my FOY Red-Spotted Purple.  Dragonfly - Common Whitetail.

Monarch

Little Wood Satyr

Red-Spotted Purple

Red-Spotted Purple

I can't believe we are into August now!

Wandering Hyde Park

Wednesday, July 24, 2019 - Hyde Park

I went for a walk in Hyde Park this morning.  It was sunny, high of 25c.
Butterflies were scarce.  I saw a couple of Monarchs, one Red Admiral and no Cabbage Whites.  I have not seen any of the yellow/sulphur butterflies as of yet.  Dragonflies are not any better...very few.  Last year, there were lots of dragonflies in this area.  

I saw a nice variety of birds though.  Great-Blue Heron, Pied-bill Grebe, Ring-billed Gull, a family of Northern Flickers, Willow Flycatcher, Spotted Sandpipers (2), Song Sparrows, American Goldfinches to name a few.

Spotted Sandpiper

Willow Flycatcher

Northern Flicker

Song Sparrow

Pied-billed Grebe

Happenings in London

Hyde Park Drainage Pond and Westminster Ponds ESA

I went to Hyde Park the other day mainly to look for butterflies and dragonflies.  There are plenty of Red Admirals around.  I'm seeing the odd Monarch, Cabbage White and some skippers.

Eastern Forktail

Common Wood-Nymph

Bluet  sp

Red Admiral

This is the first Northern Leopard Frog I've seen this year.

Northern Leopard Frog

At Westminster Ponds ESA, there were plenty of Blue Dashers.  I walked the boardwalk and the walkway at the other side of the pond.  There were a lot of wild flowers and flowering weeds around but I did not see one butterfly!  Below are some photos I took.

Blue Dasher

The lily pads are very nice around the edge of Saunders Pond.

Blue Vervain

Butterfly Milkweed

Saunders Pond

Butterflies and Dragonflies

This week, I've been out looking for butterflies and dragonflies.  It seems Red Admirals are in great numbers right now.  Below are some of the photos.

Tawny-edged Skipper

Common Whitetail

European Skipper

Little Wood Satyr

Ebony Jewelwing

Little Glassywing

Delaware Skipper

Painted Lady

Common Wood-Nymph

Cabbage White

Monarch 

Red Admiral

Eastern Forktail

And I will add a Green Frog.