The end of migration, now it's time to reproduce!

   Bird migration was really great this year. I had 2 lifers in one field in New Hampshire, a Ruff and a Red Phalarope. The phalarope spends most of the year out at sea, so an inland visit is quite rare. The ruff (it was a female so she's a reeve) is an Eurasian bird, so she too, was well off course. Unfortunately I left my camera at home (I was in such a rush to see the birds).

   Two sandhill cranes were in a still-flooded field in Vernon, VT. What a rare treat that is. Cranes are ancient birds, a 10 million year old fossil was found in Nebraska! In 2007, a pair successfully fledged a single chick in Vermont. So what will happen to this pair, the sexes are hard to determine, will they stay and nest or will they move on north?  Here's a very interesting link to an article about them cranes in VT
  

      At Herrick's Cove in Rockingham this morning, two snapping turtles were laying eggs in holes they dug near the side of the road. Don't mess with one of these turtles, they have vicious dispositions.

   Last night, two beautiful Rosy Maple Moths, were hanging out under the front porch light. As the name implies, she lays her eggs on maple leaves. Rosy-maples are one of the most widespread moths in the East.

   Around our house, besides this Eastern phoebes nest (pictured above), we have nesting bluebirds, tree swallows and house wrens. I'm sure there's more nests that I just haven't stumbled upon. Later in the summer, juvenile chipping sparrows, rose-breasted grosbeaks, northern cardinals, ruby-throated humminbirds and eastern towhees (to name a few) will be out and begging for food!