Photographs by Frank

9 September 2015

Solitary Sandpipers

Filed under: Autumn,Birds,Monadnock Region,Wildlife — Tags: — Frank @ 11:00 PM

The Monadnock Paper Mill in Bennington has drawn down the water level in Powdermill Pond so that they can work on their dam. This has exposed large expanses of mudflats. The last time this happened (according to the Fall newsletter from the Harris Center*) thirteen species of shorebird were found using this temporary habitat during the Fall migration.

This afternoon, I headed over to the NH Fish and Wildlife boat launch in Greenfield to see what was around. As I was standing on the boat ramp (which ends a good thirty feet from the nearest bit of water), I saw four peeps come in for a landing on the flats and promptly lost them. They really blend in well!

I shouldered the tripod and Big Bertha and headed over closer to where they landed. By the time I got the tripod set up at kneeling height, one of the peeps showed itself at the waters edge.  I spent the next hour watching six solitary sandpipers “do their thing”. (I’m not sure if the additional two where already there or if they flew in and I did not notice.)

The birds spent most of the time foraging and twice I saw dragonfly nymphs being consumed. There was also some bathing and preening activity.

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* Eric Masterson from the Harris Center will be leading a trip to Powdermill Pond on 16 Sept. to look for shore birds; check out the Harris Center calendar for details.

 

7 September 2015

Brimstone Corner Road

Filed under: Monadnock Region,Odontates,Summer,wildflowers — Tags: , — Frank @ 12:30 PM

Yesterday afternoon, I made a right at the bottom of our driveway and headed out on a short stroll on the unmaintained section of Brimstone Corner Road. I was expecting to find both meadowhawks and asters. I was not disappointed.

I saw about six meadowhawks in total, including a single red (i.e. male) individual. The others were yellow… i.e. either females or immature males and hard to tell apart without netting them. My guess is that they were autumn meadowhawks but, again without netting them, it is hard to be certain. These were the only odes I saw.

There were many asters along the roadside; mostly the small white type that grows in large clusters. However, there were scattered larger, more deeply colored types mixed in here and there.

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Juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

Filed under: Birds,Monadnock Region,Summer — Tags: , — Frank @ 12:00 PM

For the last few weeks, we have had many juvenile ruby-throated hummingbirds in the yard near the feeder and flowers. They seem to come in groups of three or four feeding and flying around.

The juveniles also seem to perch near the feeders much less frequently than did the adults, especially the males, did earlier in the summer. The juveniles prefer perches higher up and farther away from the feeder than the adults. The flight of the juveniles also  has a much more “playful” character than that of adults.

All of this is, I imagine, tied into to territoriality. The adults were protecting “turf” by perching near the feeders and flying to drive away interlopers. The juveniles are eating and flying around in a “pack” at breakneck speed just for fun.

When they return next spring, this summer’s juveniles will be as “serious” the adults were a couple of months ago.

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28 August 2015

The American Rubyspot

Filed under: Odontates,Summer — Tags: — Frank @ 11:00 PM

This afternoon, I made the two and a half hour round trip to Athol, Massachusetts to photograph the American Rubyspot.

The section of the Millers River just upstream from where Route 2A crosses the river at the western edge of the downtown business district in Athol is a hot spot for this uncommon damselfly. The southern part of Case Meadow Conservation Area lies along one bank of this stretch of river and parking is available at the Millers River Environmental Center; both make for easy access.

I spent just over an hour from first to last frame exposed. I saw around a dozen and a half rubyspots including two females at two spots along the river bank. I also observed a few large dragonflies (darners most likely) out over the river. I also saw a few darners flying in the meadow on the walk back to the truck.

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Late Season Odes, Down Back

Filed under: Odontates,Summer,The Yard — Tags: , — Frank @ 10:30 PM

Yesterday afternoon I headed “down back” to the beaver-made wetland at the back of our property.

I was expecting to find the usual late-season odes… autumn meadowhawks and a number of the spreadwings. Although the numbers of individuals were small, there was a nice variety of species present.

I observed a total of three meadowhawks (all female) and about a dozen (total) of the three species of spreadwings.

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21 August 2015

Gregg Lake Clubtails

Filed under: "Camp",Monadnock Region,Odontates,Summer — Tags: , — Frank @ 4:00 PM

August at the lake is time for the big dragonflies… clubtails and darners.

The most common ode around the lake on Wednesday afternoon was the black-shouldered spinyleg, one of the clubtails. I also observed a number of dragonhunters (another clubtail) and a number of unidentified darners. The last of these only as they flew by at breakneck speed.

As for damselflies, there were a few male variable darners hanging around the vegetation along the shore; always low to the water. These are stragglers. The bulk of the population mated some weeks ago and are now gone.

The clubtails and darners are difficult to observe and especially photograph. Both groups are strong fliers and don’t spend much time perched.

Darners are the worst in this respect. They are really fast in flight, so you don’t get a good look at them. They also tend to perch high in the trees and thus are hard to see and harder to photograph.

The clubtails are a bit easier… they tend to perch lower down, often on rocks. Thus, getting a good photo is at least thinkable. On the lake they like to perch on the deep water side of the many rocks that emerge from the water.

My strategy is to watch them carefully and observe where one lands. I can usually observe them with the binos. Often, I can then get the kayak in position to make a good photo before they decide to take flight again.

Photographing at high magnification from a moving platform (i.e. a kayak) has its own challenges and my “keeper” rate is lower than is typical. However, the “hunt” is an entertaining way to spend a hot sunny afternoon.

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11 August 2015

The Past Week’s Birds

Filed under: Birds,Monadnock Region,Summer,The Yard — Tags: — Frank @ 2:00 PM

No special “photo sessions” in the past week… I keep the camera set up on the deck and “catch-as-catch-can”.

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Suspicions… Confirmed!

Filed under: Birds,Monadnock Region,Summer — Tags: — Frank @ 12:30 PM

Regular readers will remember that we have had a pair (one male and one female) of red-breasted grosbeaks visiting the feeders for most of the summer. In the past few weeks, I have noticed that these birds would make their exit from the feeder in the same direction while carrying a seed. I suspected that there was a nest in the neighborhood, but I had no real evidence.

Yesterday my suspicion was confirmed. Just before lunch, I was able to make two photographs of the adult male feeding a juvenile. There was a five second interval between these two frames. In another second, the adult had flown off.

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28 July 2015

Time Marches On

Filed under: Birds,Monadnock Region,Summer — Frank @ 10:30 PM

Well, here it is the end of July. I am not saying that fall is just around the corner, but… I am beginning to see signs of changes around the bird feeders.

In the past couple of days I have seen a chickadee and a tufted titmouse at the seed feeder. These are the two most common birds at our feeders in winter. However, they have been completely absent since late March. I have no idea where they have been!

There are two other changes of note.

The number of chipping sparrows is on the increase, we see small numbers in the summer and significantly more in the fall.

I have also noted a drop in the consumption of “nectar” from the hummingbird feeder. We still get regular visits to the feeder but, these days, the hummingbirds have lots of other choices, including the garden flowers at the foot of the post where the feeder is mounted.

Otherwise, the gang that has been here all summer, are still common… three kinds of woodpeckers (hairy, downy and red-bellied) and white-breasted nuthatches on the suet and two kinds of finches (purple and gold) on the seeds. The rose-breasted grosbeaks also still put in an occasional visit to the seeds.

Oh… and the seed and suet thieves seem to be as active as ever!

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22 July 2015

Yard Odes and Flowers

Filed under: Garden Flowers,Odontates,Other Insects,Summer,The Yard — Tags: , , , — Frank @ 10:00 PM

Yesterday (Tuesday, 21 July) dawned hot and sticky and stayed that way. Despite the weather I spent some time in the late afternoon haunting the yard in search of odes. The numbers of odes were small, but there was a nice variety. The most common insect was a butterfly; the great spangled fritillary.

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At some point during my rounds, I turned my attention from odes to the flowers Joan has growing in the many beds and containers around the yard.

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