Wonderful Week Plus a Lifer

 May 17-22, 2021

I saw some nice variety of birds and wildlife this week. We had some very hot weather in the 30c range.  I do my birding in the mornings in this weather.

American Goldfinch

Wild Turkey

I saw my first Black Swallowtail of the year.  Beautiful.

Black Swallowtail

I found this tiny Painted Turtle (2") long on a main pathway.  I was afraid it might get hurt and it was far from water.  So I carried the turtle to the edge of the pond so it will be safe.  I put it on a reed stem at the water edge, so it can go into the water when it is ready.

This sandpiper is a lifer.  It was quite far away on the mudflats.

Black-bellied Plover

Green Heron

Birds, Butterflies and Dragonflies

Hyde Park Drainage Pond

It was a beautiful day today...warm and sunny.  This afternoon I went to Hyde Park to look for butterflies.  The butterflies were fluttering around and there were some dragonflies too.  

Group of Mallards

I saw 2 Indigo Buntings. Beautiful birds!

Indigo Bunting

There is a farmers field beside the pond.  With a fence and bushes it's not always easy to look over the fields.  Way in the distance, I could see black things moving.  I got my camera on them and there were 5 wild turkeys running around.  Then I saw a Great Blue Heron fly over and landed in a tree way in the distance. 

Wild Turkey

Great Blue Heron

This is the other Indigo Bunting I saw this afternoon.

Indigo Bunting

There were a lot of Crescents flying around.  Some Cabbage Whites, Clouded Sulphurs, Monarchs, and a Red-spotted Purple.

Northern Crescent

Clouded Sulphur

This Azure species was pretty worn.

Azure sp

Clouded Sulphur

I was so excited to see my first Clearwing of the year......Hummingbird Clearwing.

Hummingbird Clearwing

My first ever Calico Pennant.

Calico Pennant

Eastern Pondhawk

Eastern Amberwing

Common Whitetail

Northern Leopard Frog

Admiring Turkey - 2016

Had moved into an apartment - Winter 2015.  I took this outside my window in Spring 2016.

Young Wild Turkey