A Nesting Wood Thrush, Herons, Butterflies and Warblers!

It was an unexpected surprise to find a Wood Thrush sitting on a nest! These secretive birds are heard more often than seen. They have a beautiful flute-like song that rings through deciduous forests in the spring and summer. The easiest place to see them is on the forest floor when they dig through leaf litter for insects.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Thrush/overview

A Great Blue Heron was recently spotted wearing his handsome breeding plumage! (Notice the extra feathers!)  The herons are back at Canatara and hunting in the lake!

Green Herons have also made an appearance! He walked along the edge of the island, often disappearing into the foliage before becoming visible further down the shore.

Although not normally associated closely with water, a White-crowned Sparrow posed nicely at the edge of a pond!

On the warmer days, we've had some success in finding butterflies including this Brown Elfin. These fragile insects must be hoping that the warmer weather is here to stay!!

First Clouded Sulphur of the year!

Eastern Carpenter Bee, hovering so I could take its photo!

Olympia Marble

Northern Yellow Warbler hunting for food in the trees.

American Redstart

Cape May Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Savanah Sparrow sitting in a tree near a pond in Canatara. This was an unexpected location for this bird that typically is found in fields and meadows.

Juvenile Red-winged Blackbird with a fuzzy head and short tail, hiding in the cattails just 2 feet from its nest!