Brian K. led a very enthusiastic and appreciative group on a walk through a portion of Willow Farm (his private property) in Ware, MA. We were able to add two new hairstreak species (banded and striped) to the 72 butterfly species he has recorded so far. We also enjoyed native wildflowers, indigo buntings, gray catbirds, common yellowthroats and several interesting moths. It was a beautiful day! We were warned about ticks, so I wore my treated pants, but Freddie found at least 8 ticks crawling on her as we drove home. Later, I found two more on the passenger side of the car. She was quite a tick magnet!
Great Spangled Fritillary
on possible coyote poop
Fireweed
Cabbage White
(in the remains of a fire)
Banded Hairstreak
Ctenucha Virginica moth
Wild Columbine
Eastern Comma
Indigo Bunting
Spotted Apatelodes Moth
Brian knew the name of this moth, and told me twice, but I knew I'd forget! It was long! I'll keep looking. Found it!
Little Wood Satyr
Gray-Cheeked or Bicknell's Thrush
(I did not pay enough attention to the song to distinguish between them later.)
(I did not pay enough attention to the song to distinguish between them later.)
Silver-Spotted Skipper
Beautiful meadow of Fleabane
Violet Dancer
(the only violet damselfly in the Northeast)
Eastern Pine Elfin
Striped Hairstreak
Purple-Flowering Raspberry
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Striped Hairstreak
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DeleteCould the mystery bird be a Veery?
ReplyDeleteHi Josh, it wasn't very reddish. Also, I checked against the songs on AllAboutBirds, and thought the Bicknell's matched, but then read that the two songs are very close except for the last note going up or down to distinguish them. So....I am unsure, but I do think it's between those two birds.
DeleteYou may be right. I would add that either species is very rare in Massachusetts, outside of migration. Gray-cheeked breeds in Canada, and Bicknell's typically above 3000' in northern New England. That said, I have zero direct experience with these birds.
DeleteUh oh! I'm doubting it very much based on this latest info! Rats!
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