It occurred to me that I’m out enough that even when I don’t post things, there’s probably something of marginal interest, so I’m going to start a Week In Review. Hopefully on Fridays with an actual post of weekend stuff later, but we’ll see.
Starting with:
7/20: Lunchtime walk at Prospect Hill, very few birds but a Somatochlora overhead and the first Northern Broken-Dash and Common Wood-Nymphs of the year were good.
7/21: It rained.
7/22: Car in for oil change and inspection, so no birding but a fledgling cardinal at the feeders was clearly a new brood.
7/23: Big numbers of House Finches in the yard all of a sudden. Paine Estate at lunch had the first Great Crested Flycatcher in a couple weeks and a House Sparrow (only about my 10th record from there in weekly visits for a couple years now). A Red Admiral was a belated first of year.
7/24: Met State at lunch was quiet other than a family of at least 5 House Wrens. A pondhawk caught and ate a forktail in the yard.
7/25: Finished my atlas work for the season (maybe), highlighted by finally getting a Carolina Wren (or five), a Broad-winged Hawk calling, Green Heron, and a pair of Indigo Bunting. Several good bugs including Lance-tipped and Canada Darners, a Blue-fronted Dancer and a good number of butterflies. A Widow Skimmer in the yard was only the second record.
7/26: Met State in the morning, Indigo Buntings and rain. Went to check out the new boardwalk but was flooded out before getting there. Great Meadows in the afternoon, 3 Osprey, Hoodie, Least Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Racket-tailed Emerald, Appalachian Brown.