Yardbird #51

What a fun day I've had!

A trip up to State Line lookout on the NY/NJ border where we watched Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, lots of migrating monarchs and a host of warblers and other migrant birds.   Most of my photos were crap, but I kind of like this one of the female Peregrine coming in for a landing.  And in the predation category, we saw several big mantids, one that bagged a couple of equally big carpenter bees and proceeded to eat each in succession.  Really would have like to have video for that!

Back at home by mid-afternoon in time to see an explosion of migrating monarchs in my garden.  At one count, I had 10 although I suspect there were more.  One shot that I like is HERE on Flickr of two sharing a single zinnia.  

The icing on the cake was when I spotted this tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglet foraging for insects on a shrub in the garden.  It's also a heavily cropped photo, but I like the little bird with the background of the maple in full fall color.  I also saw my an Eastern Towhee in the cherry tree - the first I've seen in the garden in several years.  She perched right out in the open at eye level, but I wasn't quick enough with the camera and came away with an empty frame.  Oh well.

And even more icing on the cake, I got the link for an article published online by the National Audubon Society which features a photo taken by me (and for which I am being paid!)  The story is on the "irruptive" year expected in our area for red-breasted nuthatches.  You can see the photo and read the article HERE if you have the desire.  

Temperatures continue to be in the high 70's with unusually high humidity, making it feel more like summer than fall.  Lots of happy pollinators in the garden.

xo
Debbi