Baby Birds at BHCL

Today's highlight was baby birds:  I spotted Eastern Bluebird, House Sparrow, Gray Catbird and Black-Capped Chickadee nestlings or fledglings.  A pretty good showing for a 45 minute walk!  OK, I admit two were in nesting boxes, which is kind of like cheating, but it was still fun!

 Gray Catbird (near parking lot)

keeping watch, as if a baby is nearby

 Food for the nestling(s)

Eastern Bluebird nestling just barely visible on right side of hole

(you'll just have to trust me and hope I get better photos as they grow)

House Sparrow feeding nestling

Little Glassywing

"served on a beautiful leaf platter"

Widow Skimmer (female)

Black-Capped Chickadee fledgling

The only way I could tell this was a fledgling was because an adult had just delivered a worm and then flown off.  Another clue was it was squawking, and adult birds were calling warnings and flying from branch to branch nearby.  Pretty good clues, but not able to be gleaned from the photo so I thought I'd explain it.

Gray Hairstreak

Large Lace Border Moth

Indigo Bunting (female)

A dull bird in contrast to her brilliant mate, but I was happy to see her.  It is the first female I have seen at BHCL.

Isabella Tiger Moth
(This is what the well-known wooly bear caterpillars turn into!)

Great Spangled Fritillary

On my way out, the catbird was flying around and squawking, and I also heard a small squeaking to the left of the bridge in the thicket.  I waited, and look who popped out onto the bench for a brief second!  I tried to circle around to get a front view, but it flew right back into the thicket like a good fledgling!

Gray Catbird fledgling