Younglings

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

juvenile American Robin Turdus migratorius

juvenile American Robin Turdus migratorius

juvenile Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

Boing!

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea

Zoom!

Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons

Whoosh!

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus

Judgemental Groundhog

Interesting view of 'crown shyness'

Gnome traps are cruel, and must be banned

Mount-Royal Cemetery, July 7, 2021

  Knocked the dust off the binos yesterday, to see what was kicking around in Mount-Royal Cemetery. We logged 29 species in five hours, under cloudy skies, and lovely room temperature weather with periods of non-rain rain.

  The juvenile birds were everywhere. Young Chipping Sparrows were seen jousting with Gypsy Moths. Red-eyed Vireos and Great Crested Flycatchers were also getting after the moths, and I noticed several duels between adult and juvenile birds of those two species. I’m guessing they were being forcefully weened. Maybe the super-abundance of Gypsy Moths is leading some birds to push for an opportunistic second brood?

  In several areas, juveniles of several species were testing out their wings in what I call ‘nurseries.’ These are small, enclosed wooded areas with tight canopy cover, where the younglings toddled around under cover, while adult birds perched up top, looking bored, yet alert.

  Other highlights: Turkey Vultures feeding on Groundhogs, a Yellow-throated Vireo seen by the apple trees on Mountain View, and a Black-billed Cuckoo briefly heard up by Pine Hill Side, before the mowers started up.