Monarchs, Mallards and a Magnolia: September 16, 2021

You can always count on having a good variety of birds at Col. Sam Smith Park on any day of the year. For that reason I lugged my long lens camera about for the entire walk. The only problem was with the group photo. I had to move about 50 yards away from the group in order to include everyone.

With the beautiful, sunny skies and terrific wild flower display, we saw many, many Monarchs.

Monarch on New England Aster
Monarch on New England Aster
Monarch on New England Aster
Monarch on New England Aster
Monarch on New England Aster
Monarch on New England Aster
Monarch on New England Aster
Monarch on New England Aster

By November, there will be many species of ducks and mergansers wintering here but today we had only Mallards.

Mallard
Mallard (male)
Mallard (female)
Mallard (female)

We also had Magnolia and Yellow-rumped Warblers

Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

and Red-eared Sliders.

Red-eared Sliders
Red-eared Slider

Other birds:

Great Blue Heron
Ring-billed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron with Mallards
Great Blue Heron
Double-crested Cormorant
Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker
Belted Kingfisher
Red-necked Grebe
Northern Flicker
Belted Kingfisher and Northern Flicker
Double-crested Cormorants (juvenile on right)
Northern Flicker
Belted Kingfisher and Northern Flicker
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorants
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Mute Swans
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants

Species list: Red-necked Grebe, double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, mallard, osprey, spotted sandpiper, ring-billed gull, belted kingfisher, northern flicker, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, American robin, gray catbird, warbling vireo, magnolia warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, house sparrow, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, song sparrow. (21 species)

NATURE POETRY

Many swarms of wild bees descended on our fields:
Stately stood the wheatstalk with head bent high:
Big of heart we laboured at storing mighty yields,
Wool and corn, and clusters to make men cry!                 – George Meredith (1828–1909)

Miles Hearn

1 thought on “Monarchs, Mallards and a Magnolia: September 16, 2021

  1. Brian W.

    Miles, your pic of the Magnolia Warbler reminded me of a spectacular hardy variety of magnolia called ‘Yellow Bird’ which flowers in late spring with masses of yellow flowers that do resemble yellow birds. (if you’ve had enough to drink 😉)
    There is a magnificent example in the A section of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery just where it leads into the Vale of Avoca. I saw it last April in full bloom when it looked almost ablaze with colour. Well worth a look see next spring.

    Reply

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