ƛ̓éxətəm (Tlahutum) Regional Park
Unusually, we decided to visit ƛ̓éxətəm first. Well really, I decided, as the one with the car. It seemed only logical, since it was closest, right?
At this time of year, and with the heat and humidity as high as it was, we unsurprisingly didn’t see any birbs. However, the scenery was tops as always…
And this Osprey greeted us early on with a majestic flyby, so I’m feeling pretty okay.
This fuzzy little guy is (I think) a Virginian Tiger Moth caterpillar, a.k.a. a Yellow Woollybear. They can range from almost white to yellow to a deep reddish-brown. The head is on the right.
Okay, so I don’t know for sure, but there’s a slight chance this might be a Calliope Hummingbird. I’m not seeing any trace of a gorget, and a female Anna’s should have a little bit. Then again, some don’t have much, and the angle may hide it completely. Sadly, this was the only angle I could get, so the mystery will remain a mystery.
Blakeburn Lagoons Park
We came here seeking the Green Heron that we know hangs around here… and we did find it! For all of one second, when it flew out from under our viewing platform and out of sight. And then we couldn’t find it again. Boooo.
DeBoville Slough Dyke Trail
The plan here was to start from the parking lot on Cedar Dr, trek all the way to the river on the north trail, wave to the ospreys in their nest, and continue north along the river until we hit one of the observation points I saw on Google Maps.
The presence of Willow Flycatchers seemed a good omen, in spite of the heat. I got some of my best flycatcher photos ever these normally shy little birbs!
Then a little further along, we saw a bunch of photographers pointing their gear at the trees. Some exotic rarity? No, just a young (probably) black bear(?) climbing a tree. I couldn’t tell if it was having fun, or had previously been having fun and now couldn’t get down. I understand they’re excellent climbers, but maybe it forgot that little fact. It’s possible!
It was gone when we came back an hour later, so it looks like it finally figured it out.
Fields as far as the eye can see.
I never get tired of this view!
I hadn’t seen Purple Martins in a while, but there were a bunch flitting over the water and resting on these pilings — some of which had nest boxes on them.
A near-invisible grasshopper. I had fun trying to get as close as possible to snap some pictures!
This female goldfinch somehow chose to land on these reeds, very close to us, just long enough for me to snap a couple pictures.
Hey look, another Willow Flycatcher!
View north-ish from the short observation platform, which is technically in Minnekhada Regional Park.
Okay back to the flycatchers!
On the way back: an Eastern Kingbird, looking all kingly!
When we passed the nest the first, time, it seemed abandoned. A bit sad, but understandable: the chicks would probably be grown, and parents would have no reason to hang around here.
But! on the way back we saw there were two adults in the nest. One took off just as we got close, flying low across the river. This one stayed in the nest for a bit, rearranging a few sticks to help the feng shui. Then it took off downriver.
Lovely. As dehydrated as I was near the end, I’m glad I picked this trail!