Leatherback Sea Turtle, Cedar Beach, Milford Point

A few photos of the dead Leatherback Sea Turtle washed up on Cedar Beach, Tuesday morning, 8 October 2013.  Sibley's Field Guide to Eastern Birds provides scale in a few pictures.

Butterflies 10/08/13

A few fall butterflies while trying out a different camera, from Silver Sands SP, 10/08/13

Question Mark

Red Admiral

Black Swallowtail, female

Eastern Tailed Blue

Pearl Crescent

California Quail, WH Woodpecker, Kokanee Salmon

From a (26 Sept-5 Oct 13) California trip to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, from a family of White-headed Woodpeckers on grounds of Tallac (on Lake Tahoe), California Quail (roadside near Yosemite), Kokanee Salmon, spawning in Taylor Creek near Lake Tahoe.

White-headed Woodedpecker, adult male, Valhalla, Lake Tahoe

C

California Quail, near Yosemite

Kokanee Salmon,  male, spawning ground, Taylor Creek near Tahoe

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

White-headed Woodpecker

White-headed Woodpecker

Banding Birds, Warblers, Gray-cheeked Thrush 9/17/13

A few photos of birds at banding with Charlotte Weston & Stacy Hanks at the CACC in Milford CT:

Black-and-white Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Black-throated Green Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

  

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Black-throated Green Warbler

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Fresh Black Swallowtails, Monarch from 9/4/13

Just a few photos of fresh Black Swallowtail and Monarchs in the garden on 9/4/13.  A steady stream of Swallowtails (5 appearances of Giants) his year.

male Monarch, 9/4/13 home butterfly weed

male Black Swallowtail, 9/4/13 home buddleia

female Black Swallowtail, 9/4/13 home buddleia

Female Goldenrod Spider eating female Sachem, 9/4/13

At Nettleton Pond (btw Silver Sands SP and Walnut beach), with John Oshlick, I found two dead female Sachems.  Both were seemingly nectaring on Goldenrod, but I noticed that neither moved.  Upon closer inspection, and turning over the flowers, I discovered a yellow spider in the process of devouring the Sachems.  I presume the spider is Misumena varia.  A few photos below:

female Sachem being devoured by a Goldenrod Spider, Nettleton Pond, 9/4/13

female Sachem being devoured by a Goldenrod Spider, Nettleton Pond, 9/4/13

dead Sachem, Nettleton Pond, 9/4/13

Labor Day Giant Swallowtail

Today, Labor Day (9/2/13), while generally wet, featured a morning Giant Swallowtail back in neighbor's yard nectaring on Buddleia, Zinnia, Cardinal Flower.  4th Giant in neighborhood this season.  Also, a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at CACC.

Giant Swallowtail, 9/2/13 neighbor's yard

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron juv. 9/2/13 CACC

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, juv, 9/2/13

Giant Swallowtail, neighbor's yard, 9/2/13

Giant Swallowtail, 9/2/13