Nature Sightings Including Rabbits!

At home last weekend, an 8 Spotted Forester moth visited the armeria flowers. I like his orange thighs!....

 At the Park Tuesday AM, this squirrel had managed to get inside the "squirrel-proof" feeder! He nibbled sunflower seed from the bottom holes and started to panic when he couldn't leave. The green top is loose, but he didn't try that and finally squeezed out of a regular square!!!...

 At Chelsea on 5-30, we got to see the goose family. The goslings are now larger than ducks!...

 Here's one of the neighborhood rabbits who we've seen this year. On Wednesday, Hubby swore he saw some kits going in and out of the ivy with the mother nearby. I had read that once the kits leave the burrow, they are on their own. Not True. Kits leave den at about 14 days old, but aren't weaned until 4 or 5 weeks.....

 As soon as I got home, a baby bunny came out of the ivy! By the time I got outside w/camera, Mom was nursing the baby bun!!!! Never saw this before!! The grey small round blob in center of Mom's tummy is the kit....

 Mom sat up, but kit continued to nurse. (The oblong tan blob left of Mom's nose)....

 Both apart~~kit on far left. You need to double click ☺....

 A little blurry as I cropped out the kit. As far as we know, there's only been one kit spotted~~it just came in and out of the ivy several times when first seen....

Eaglets at Park Have Matured

Last Tuesday, the 22nd, could hear eagle sounds when parking car. Finally saw the nest but can't tell if anyone's home!...

 Search for the sound found an eagle on branch behind the nest tree. Thought it was a juvie, until picture was in computer! Adult colors, so eaglets must be nearby.

 This Tuesday, the 29th, could find the nest but it might be MT. All of a sudden, saw flapping wings!!...

 With binoculars and more searching, found the eaglets!!...

 Same view with the photo only 1/2 cropped!...

Off the Ground!

It was misty at the Park on Tuesday, May 15. Early blooming wildflowers near the office are probably lance-leaved coreopsis..... 

When the rain stopped, the birds were busy preening. Saw the Baltimore Orioles again.....

Wing stripes show better in this pic.....

Thrush......

Fuzzy juvenile in the favorite treetop. Probably a mockingbird....

 Bluebird at Chelsea office.......

 Blue Angels in Forestville!........

 Two or three shy and cautious squirrels come by for peanuts, usually when they see someone outside. The other evening one appeared on the dining room windowsill!!!......

"Got peanuts??".....

Special Park Visitors 5-8-12

Through the Park Office window, a red bird was seen over on driver's side mirror of car!!....

 Now it's pecking the glass!!!...

Went outside and saw it's a summer tanager!...

 Tried to solve the problem with paper and tape!....

 Meanwhile, Mrs. T waited in the trees nearby.....

 The male sat for a short while, too......

 Here he comes again!!!......

 But this is the passenger side!!!! He found another mirror!....

 After this encounter, mirror was covered also....

 Some of the staff was outside and Greg K. borrowed my camera, as the birds had flown to another area of parked cars!!! Here's Summer T on a coworker's car mirror. Greg said he taught himself that there were mirrors on both sides and went to the other one, too!!....

A year ago we had a nesting pair of these birds near where the small bus is parked. That male banged the bus mirrors! Some think it's the same one and if so, it's amazing that he's still functional!

Other Park Birds 5-8-12

This titmouse pecking on his sunflower seed, didn't appear to have a tuft!..

 This shows just a nub on his head. An expert said he just held it flat?!....

 We can barely see the Park eaglets, but there are silhouettes.....

 Can see part of one's beak. The other may have been wingercising....

Birds!

At the Park, been trying to compare the eaglets with those at NCTC (who must be the largest in history!) It's not easy. One week ago, April 24, shows the nest with Mom on the left and (part) of the two eaglets....

(You should probably double-click to enlarge)

 The rest of these nest pictures were taken yesterday, May 1.

Probably 2 eaglets....

 All of a sudden, a wingercise!! How big is that? I thought I was seeing two chicks!!...

 Nibbling?? You can barely see something dark in the center....

 Looks like singing, but I didn't hear a chirp!...

 Today at Chelsea, a (Little) Green Heron landed close to the front of my car. They live at the pond all summer and are as loud as their much larger cousin, the Great Blue....

Traveling Geese 4-27-12

The arrow shows the area behind the foliage where there is a containment pond. From there to the big trees is a field with untrimmed grass. Today, the top of an adult goose was seen emerging from the field. The building is on the left...

 From the window we saw the whole goose family! Did they all travel through the field!? There is a gravel road around the grassy area, but no one was seen there! If you enlarge, you may be able to see 7 goslings....

Marching to our pond for the evening!....