Mid April Arrivals
Green Heron
My morning started with me flushing a Green Heron (CHECK) off from a beaver pond in France Brook as it flew up into a dead snag! I had thought for a second it could have been a Bittern but was only a Green Heron!
Swamp Sparrow
In the same general area was my first Swamp Sparrow (CHECK) for 2009’s singing it’s signature sowing-machine song.
Spring Azure
Then on Facebook our good friend Marg mentioned that I should blog about butterflies that I am finding! At that point nothing new had started flittering around until this morning when I saw my first Spring Azure (CHECK) for the year!
West Virginia White
I then had two West Virginia Whites (CHECK) flittering around the bike path in an area that I don’t typically find any West Virginia Whites until later in the season!! Lets anticipate this as a sign of a great West Virginia White season!!!! Although Marg has already seen her Eastern Comma . . . . I am still waiting for my first of the year Comma to make its appearince! Sound’t be long though!
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Thanks for mentioning butterflies to Mon@rch Marg. Great shots Mon@rch.
17 April 2009 at 9:15 pm
I’ve had a Song Sparrow in my yard for a week. Can’t wait for the rest to arrive!
17 April 2009 at 9:56 pm
Oh, the wonders of migration. I could watch all day long to see them come through. Jeez! “ONLY” a Green Heron?
17 April 2009 at 10:19 pm
I don’t think I have positively identified a swamp sparrow. I like your photo of it and will have to look for one.
17 April 2009 at 11:45 pm
Great shots! The Swamp Sparrow is so cute!
18 April 2009 at 4:48 am
Hopefully I will see quite a bit in class this morning and at the Hawk Watch.
Yes blog about those butterflies. 🙂
18 April 2009 at 5:54 am
Nice Tom- People go ga-ga over West Virginia whites in our part. Very nice. I’ve seen one once.
18 April 2009 at 7:15 am
It has been just wonderful checking of each returning species. Gets the adrenaline up and running. Here in Central Maine we’ve delighted in birding the coast, and are waiting patiently for arrival to the interior. Great shot of the Green Heron and Swamp Sparrow. My only butterfly so far has been a Morning Cloak.
18 April 2009 at 8:13 am
Haven’t seen very many butterflys yet this year. Thanks for sharing yours. :c)
18 April 2009 at 8:50 am
I particularly like the butterfly images. I’m still waiting for some to show up around here. It seems that they are very slow to show this year.
18 April 2009 at 8:52 pm
Great photos!
that green heron looks mini up there in that tree.
And I have to say I really love when you show the butterflies with the names of what they are..I am in need of butterfly knowledge.
19 April 2009 at 1:35 pm
Oooooooh, pretty pretty! Glad that Spring is getting to you, way up there. 🙂
19 April 2009 at 2:55 pm
That swamp sparrow looks very familiar but not sure I am have seen one before. I am starting to see a lot of butterflies now.
19 April 2009 at 5:33 pm
@ Lisa – No worries and thanks for your kind words!
@ Lynne – Song Sparrows are so much fun!
@ NCmountainwoman – LOL . . . they can become common around here!
@ Ruth – You can ID them easier by song than by sight! The song is very easy . . . sowing machine!
@ Kallen – Thanks
@ Toni – Thanks and good luck at your class!
@ Tom – Thanks and they do here also . . . lucky in the spring they are one of the most common butterflies here in Allegany! Actually the National Heritage group here in NYS are using one of my WV White photos that I took!
@ kaholly – Thanks and it is great keeping up with the return’s dates! As it gets warmer you will find many more butterfly species showing up!
@ Jayne – they are out there . . I know I am looking for more species! Moths are moving around also!
@ edvatza – thanks and shouldn’t be too long for you! It seems to me that most everything is just on time!
@ Dawn – thanks and spend some time with them . . they are worth studying!
@ Lana – thanks is spring is here . . . it is official!
@ Joan – Thanks and glad you are out looking for butterflies!
19 April 2009 at 8:15 pm
Ha, ha, ha I thought you said you were going to do birds!
Nice Azure-and Virginia-and hey I’m glad I mentioned them too though I still don’t have a buttefly shot for this year-well not a good one anyway!
21 April 2009 at 6:35 pm
Great early-season finds. I can’t wait to get out and try to see the new spring arrivals!
22 April 2009 at 12:36 pm