Pileated Woodpecker
dressed for his coronation
in ebony cape,
ermine trim,
scarlet-crested crown.
But would royalty be caught
backing down a dead hickory?
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Pileated Woodpecker [Poem]
Other SWAT banding post!
American Goldfinch by Sarah (aka WheelieGirl)
Over the past few days we have had two blogger reports about their visit to the SWAT Banding Station last Monday. Many have already seen Jennifer’s post on her SWAT visit and the similarities of the Chestnut-sided Warbler and Yellow Warbler (if not go visit her blog now!!).
But I am 99.9% sure you have not had a chance to visit WheelieGirls blog??? Sarah is a wonderful young lady who I have known since she was a little girl and her family has been visiting my banding station since 1999. She’s becoming a stunning photographer (uses a Nikon, High Five) and I just learned last Monday that she has her own Blog! That Monday she did a post on her SWAT visit and you can see some of her pictures that she captured!! Another stunning post that you should check out is her American Robin post . . . . hmmm future nature photographer??? I think so!
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Yesterday Birds [Wordless Wednesday]
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Family Day at SWAT
SWAT Group Photo
Today was Family Day at the SWAT MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) banding station with families from Michigan to local families who spent the first weekday of summer together! Of course the best part is that everyone here is a regular visitor to this website!!! {{{HIGH FIVE}}} It wasn’t until I was driving Young Naturalist J home that I realized that the whole “Mon@rch Nature Blog team” was together for the first time and I didn’t take a “team” picture together (big upset for the day)! But the whole team was in the group photo that I managed to get of all the families that visited in . . . . well minus one family who left early and a father who was the photographer.
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Trying for . . .
Habitat photo where we placed the mist net
This afternoon Young Naturalist J and I attempted to band a rare bird that has been reported in the area. About 3-4 years ago we had a singing male Worm-eating Warbler on territory and the bird hasn’t been relocated since that time. Last Sunday while banding at CLDC, I got a voice mail from Peter Y. that the Worm-eating Warbler had been located again in the same area. Habitat is “perfect” for the bird (Southern steep sloped hillside) with thick undergrowth for nesting birds like the Worm-eating Warbler, Hooded Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler! Only problem is that we are just over the northern range for this species and is almost like finding a needle in a haystack.
Rainy Day
Even with the stormy day . . . . we still had a great day with the Catt. Co Bird Club Summer Picnic in the morning and the Kids Fishing Derby in the afternoon! I said that I would take many pictures but didn’t really have many opportunities with the bazillion things I was doing! I am off from work over the next two days and should have some great opportunities for capturing a few photos to post!! It has been a long day and off to bed!
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Busy Weekend
MW in front of the Campfire!
This weekend Young Naturalist J’s family is camping in the Park to help celebrate (a little early) Young Naturalist C’s birthday. We had a great time at her party this evening with her mother and sister (Young Naturalist E) who design an amazing Squirrel Birthday Cake for her. At the party Young Naturalist C mentioned how pleased she was with everyone’s kind comments on the Nature Haikus posted yesterday.
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Nature Haikus – Summer
Great Spangled Fritillary
By Young Naturalist C
Summer
Butterflies dancing
In the air, sweet with flowers
With vivid colors
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Killfawns
The most adorable Killfawn ever photographed!!
Yesterday I had to do a double take with some Killdeer that were on the side of the road. . . . I said “Look a bunch of Killfawns”!!! This pair of Killdeer had 4 baby killdeer running beside them! This photo series is pretty much what happened within the following minute!
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Mon@rch's Nature Blog 