Seen in the Swamp

It is hot and relatively quiet in the swamp these days.  A lone GBH fishing/frogging at the far end.  Too hot for the turtles to be out on the logs but not for frogs on lily pads.  I didn't even realize how much company I had until I was ready to leave and spooked a couple nearby then realized there were a couple dozen, various sizes, just the tops of their heads and eyes barely visible, blending in with all the green.

Eastern Kingbird nest is empty but it was fun to spot the fledglings zipping around, scrambling for the same branches, following mom and dad around to be fed.

Wood Duck families down the far end of the swamp, very difficult to spot among all the vegetation that now covers the surface of the pond.

Catbirds and chickadees were noisy but swallows and red-winged blackbirds all quiet.

Hummers!  A female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird was feasting on insects caught in spider webs strung out above the tops of the cat-tails.  I definitely needed the binoculars to see what she was doing as the spider webs were not visible to the naked eye.  No picture.

Just another view of how green it is.  The row boat has to just sit and wait for next March!

Eastern Kingbird Nest

June 28th

June 2nd

Views From the Water ~ Friday

These ferns are almost as tall as I am!  The tallest came up to my shoulder.  They are right near the edge of the swamp.

One gosling.  It was so neat to watch this family maneuver across the swamp, with baby safely in between.

I couldn't get a good enough look at this busy bird to identify it.  It was flying back and forth, looked like it was making the nest ~ bringing white downy material and molding it in with its chest.  I think this picture is a tail shot as it was stuffing the material down in before molding it with its body.

I apologize for the terrible picture quality ~ a blue bird pair was very busy feeding babies, apparently.  It was nonstop action for the hour I perched on my log.  This is the male at the entrance to the nest.  Unfortunately, I could not see in but I could see mom and dad as they flew out and skimmed the surface of the pond for tasty bugs.