June 17th. Almost ready to fly, a young Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) peers out of the nest.

 

The young birds gape and chirp when they see a parent coming with food.

 

Dragonflies seemed the food of choice today.

 

 

 

 

 

Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) also have young in their nests.

 

A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) seems to yawn.

 

Suddenly alert and stalking a fish.

 

Got it! Looks like a Pumpkinseed.

 

Positioned to go down head first.

 

And down it goes.

 

Back on patrol. (It soon took another fish of similar size.)

 

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta).

 

 

 

Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria).

 

June 18th. Doe and one of two fawns breakfasting in the marsh.

 

Baby Tree Swallows still being fed by their parents.

 

 

 

Curious about the world...

 

Time to go.

 

First flight: 8:37 A.M.

 

Second baby's turn: 8:46 A.M.

 

Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus).

 

A weevil (Family Curculionidae) on Fleabane.

 

 

 

A tiny spider making a web...

 

...and resting on Yarrow.

 

A Thread-waisted Wasp (Family Sphecidae).

 

Lots of activity at the Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) nest this afternoon. The young are almost ready to fledge. The male takes a turn feeding them...

 

 

 

 

 

...followed by the famale.

 

 

 

Here a male carries a chick's poop away from the nest. Young birds' poop is encapsulated to make this transport possible. The behavior keeps the nest sanitary and helps hide the nest location (because the ground below is not littered with feces).

 

Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria).

 

June 21st. Fog on the trail this morning.

 

 

 

Young swallows begging for food.