Rose-breasted Grosbeak
This male Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) was a thrilling find for RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser’s next shoot in the Audubon series. He says he always loves their red bibs shining through the forest canopy at this time of year. For many that have the good fortune of attracting them to their feeders at home, their return signals the beginning of spring. Photographed for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut while on assignment for The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MoreBlack Swallowtail
I have been on a bird tear lately, and considering it is May and this is the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History, I think it is very appropriate. However, spring is also springing for butterflies and I cannot neglect them. I found and photographed this Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) yesterday, and considering how fresh and crisp it looks the butterfly seems like it could have flown right off the pages of a Peterson Field Guide. The Clouded Sulphur, American Lady, Eastern Tailed-Blue and more are all in the air now. What species have you spotted so far this May? Scott...
Read MoreWhite Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
While Scott has been doing a marvelous job documenting and sharing the spring migrants, I thought the plant life that is becoming more and more evident needs some representation too! Over the past couple of weeks the trees have been slowly budding, enabling ample sunshine to continue to kiss the forest floors. The warm rays have been kick-starting growth of ground cover and mid-story plants, including one particularly beautiful flower: the white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum). This flower is common in rich, upland forests and can be easily distinguished by its showy, wavy petals. Unlike...
Read MoreBlue-winged Warbler
This is another photo that I captured yesterday morning with a semi-friendly Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) taking a glance at me before he moved on. Can you identify the bird in the background? I intentionally did not crop this photo very much because I liked seeing the adult male Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) chowing down not much further up the trail from the warbler. I saw plenty of both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles yesterday, but none of them were very friendly for the camera. I’ll get you, orioles… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
Read MoreScarlet Tanager
Even the branches of this willow could not block the glow from the fiery feathers of a male Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea). I photographed this bird yesterday as it was staying near eye-level, though it was wary of me and preferred to remain “hidden” like this from afar. These canopy dwellers are so vibrant that even the sharpest lens perfectly locked on and focused always make them look just slightly blurry. They are a flame in the forest. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreBlack-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)
This is about the best look I have had at a Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) so far this spring, only spotting a few individuals. That is probably because I have not spent much time around conifers in the last couple of weeks. The Mid-Atlantic radar is exploding tonight as migrants push north on some cooperative winds – get out there tomorrow morning and see what you can find! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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