Tree Swallows at Wildwood Cemetery

Today I found at least one breeding pair of Tree Swallows had returned to Wildwood Cemetery.  They were battling with House Sparrows over the available bird houses.  Usually the aggressive House Sparrows win, but I have seen them in houses in the past....   Time will tell.

Also seen:

Wild Turkey (but not "Tom")

House Sparrow

American Goldfinch
(doing his best leaf bud impression)

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow pair (left)
male House Sparrow (right)

Blue Jay

Chipping Sparrow

(doing his best pine cone impression)

Killdeer

At lunchtime, I hiked at Cowassock Woods and Ashland Town Forest again, thinking that the power line portion may host some spring butterflies.  There wasn't much of anything going on in that section, with minimal trails broken through the scrub.  I ended up in the woods for the majority of the hike with chipmunks being the most common sighting.

(click to enlarge)

Birds seen:

American Robin

Black-Capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Cardinal

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Song Sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

I did see two Mourning Cloaks and one Cabbage White butterfly on the way out.

Mourning Cloak