Fledgling Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Fledgling Northern Rough-winged Swallow

While walking around Allegany State Park (Red House Lake) yesterday, I found these two fledgling Northern Rough-winged Swallow being fed by mom. I knew the mother bird would return with more bugs and so I waited . . .

Checking on the Ospreys

Osprey Nest

Thought everyone would like to get an update on some of our nesting Osprey! Babies are growing up fast and theu are already starting to look like mom and dad. Shouldn’t be too long before they start flying!

Baby Mallards [Wordless Wednesday]

Mamma is taking the babies for a swim!

Eastern Kingbird

I also had an Eastern Kingbird who allowed me to get close for a few photos on Sunday!  Did I mention that Wolf Run is one of my favorite places in the park to visit??

Wolf Run Butterflies

Today I decided to take a walk for butterflies along the Wolf Run area of Allegany State Park. Was only out for about an hour before the rain arrived but did capture a few decent photos to share with everyone!

Half a morning of banding

House Wren (baby)

This Saturday morning we had a superb start at the CLDC MAPS banding station but then . . . . (to be continued)!!! We banded only 6 species, recaptured 9 individuals and placed new bands on 8 birdies (17 total captures). Species banded included Blue-winged Warbler, Gray Catbird, Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow, House Wren and a first for the year bird for me (also to be continued ).

Pileated Woodpecker [Poem]

Pileated Woodpecker

dressed for his coronation
in ebony cape,
ermine trim,
scarlet-crested crown.
But would royalty be caught
backing down a dead hickory?

By: Maxwell Corydon Wheat, Jr ©

Other SWAT banding post!

American Goldfinch by Sarah (aka WheelieGirl)

Over the past few days we have had two blogger reports about their visit to the SWAT Banding Station last Monday. Many have already seen Jennifer’s post on her SWAT visit and the similarities of the Chestnut-sided Warbler and Yellow Warbler (if not go visit her blog now!!).

But I am 99.9% sure you have not had a chance to visit WheelieGirls blog??? Sarah is a wonderful young lady who I have known since she was a little girl and her family has been visiting my banding station since 1999. She’s becoming a stunning photographer (uses a Nikon, High Five) and I just learned last Monday that she has her own Blog! That Monday she did a post on her SWAT visit and you can see some of her pictures that she captured!! Another stunning post that you should check out is her American Robin post . . . . hmmm future nature photographer??? I think so!

Yesterday Birds [Wordless Wednesday]

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Family Day at SWAT

SWAT Group Photo

Today was Family Day at the SWAT MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) banding station with families from Michigan to local families who spent the first weekday of summer together! Of course the best part is that everyone here is a regular visitor to this website!!! {{{HIGH FIVE}}} It wasn’t until I was driving Young Naturalist J home that I realized that the whole “Mon@rch Nature Blog team” was together for the first time and I didn’t take a “team” picture together (big upset for the day)! But the whole team was in the group photo that I managed to get of all the families that visited in . . . . well minus one family who left early and a father who was the photographer.