Scorching May
The first half of the month of May 2015 was a quietly scorching one, with the heat turned all the way up in the Northeast. You may not believe it based on the outdoor feel of our day to day weather, but the entire region was far warmer than usual. While we did not have the extreme highs or actual heat waves, a stretch or days well into the 90s or anything particularly memorable, we have been consistently warmer than average for our highs and often above the long-term lows. The Northeast Regional Climate Center map here shows us the tale. The coolest part has been sections of Maine which were...
Read MoreKilldeer Nest
Yesterday afternoon, my parents discovered these beautiful Killdeer eggs which has just been laid in their rocky nest. Every year, they look forward to Killdeer pairs finding a site to create their nests, and they take particular care in protecting the nesting sites as well. Killdeer are one of my favorite bird species because of the unique terrain they choose for nesting, as well as their exhibited behavior when protecting the nest from intruders and predators. They will display a “broken-wing act” to distract any potential threat away from the nest…it is quite interesting to watch! Jane...
Read MoreBlackpoll Warbler
This female Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) gave me decent views on a cloudy, foggy morning, but of course the one photo she posed perfectly for – and actually stopped gleaning snacks for a moment – involved a stick over her face. Naturally! May migration continues as we wrap the movement up in the last couple weeks of the month with the later species like this one. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreYellow Warbler
This male Yellow Warbler was more engrossed in feeding and foraging than singing and calling on a recent cloudy May day, with many, many others of the species migrating through the area. Will this guy be a resident or is he a migrant, too? I’m leaning towards the latter with how little he spoke. Even when the weather is drab, gray and dreary these little beacons of light shine out among the growing leaves. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreEastern Tailed-blue
Our lawns, grasslands and other open areas are increasingly busy with butterfly species like this Eastern Tailed-blue (Cupido comyntas) now found in the grass. Watch where you step and enjoy the show on the ground!
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