Mystery feather!
This past week we arrived in NH for the summer. On our first full day here, I went over to Ragged Mtn in the mid-afternoon to check on things to get ready for the next morning’s early outing. As soon as I parked the car and started out to my usual trails and paths I spotted this gorgeous, and huge, feather! It measures approx. 17 inches… Do you have any idea who this belonged to? Really incredible… My guess.. A Great Horned Owl??? Or????
Needless to say the birds were quiet at this time of day… and the light was tough - essentially a white sky at that time. I wandered around and decided to head up to an area where I had seen an Indigo Bunting last year. Sure enough I pulled out my phone and Merlin told me that there was an Indigo Bunting near by! I never did see it but it was fun to know this is a good spot to keep checking. I went up a little further uphill and set up to see if anyone would show themselves to me… I waited and waited when all of a sudden I saw a flash of movement up to my right - look who this is!!! A Blackburnian Warbler! Wow!!! This will definitely be a spot to come back to throughout the summer…Hopefully I will find him again in much better light…
Then to my left I saw some movement and found a Chestnut-sided warbler leaping up from a branch… fun!
I decided to head back to our lake and just look around. Finally the sun popped out for some nice light and as I looked to my left I spotted this Snapping turtle… I wonder how old he is!
The Snapper stuck his very long neck out as he seemed to be watching something in the water… I never figured out what had his attention.
The next morning I overslept!! Which means I was there as the sun was coming up - not before!! lol!! Gorgeous morning… 46 degrees with no wind - just spectacular! I made my way down past the first field and I was standing between the field and the first pond, looking back towards the field, as this is the spot gets the first of the full sun. All of a sudden I heard a crashing sound to my right near the edge of the woods which was in my blind spot! Thankfully, it was this beautiful young buck! He stopped on a dime - I think I startled him and he certainly startled me - but wow how beautiful. After I took this shot he continued on his way across the field. Now that my heart was pumping and I was fully awake it was time to continue along my way! :)
Not too far along my path I saw this beautiful little sparrow just checking out the glorious morning. I think this might be a Lincoln’s sparrow.
I continued along to one of the spots that I had lots of luck seeing Common Yellowthroats last year… Guess who I found??? :). Mr. Common Yellowthroat having some breakfast!
I heard some leaves rustling very low to the ground to my left. The understory is very thick right in this area so I kept looking and looking. I had to get down very low to see if I could spot who was flitting around down there and finally, and I mean finally, I scored! My first ever clear sightings of a Northern Waterthrush!!! I scrambled down very low in order to get these shots - just so exciting!!
Look at those feet!
Then he belted out his gorgeous song for my last shot!!!
Then he flew deeper into the branches and leaves and I never spotted him again. What a gift of those moments….
I went only a few yards more when I spotted this intense beam of sunlight filtering through the trees and bushes… you know how I love that intense light! As I was scanning the area I spotted an eye! Who was hiding back there??
The sun shifted a little to see more of him…. a Veery!!! My best sighting ever of a Veery! How beautiful to see that sweet bird sitting in that intense light surrounded by such lush shades of green.
He then took a quick flight to my left… I kept looking and looking and I found him for one more quick second to take this shot! Wow!!
Needless to say, I was just so excited about everything, that I was thanking the universe for these gorgeous creatures. I had one more place to check before it was time to call it quits. As I was making my way over I flushed a bittern!!! I never had a chance to get a shot but wow! Same pond that I was able to get photos of him last year…
I set up and just stood still and kept scanning and then I spotted this spectacular flycatcher for my last two shots of the morning!! If you know what kind he is please let me know - I try to learn the differences with Merlin but they are so similar I am not sure what type this is…. but I do know that once again an absolutely beautiful bird! I am thinking a Least Flycatcher but not sure….