After a lovely time with the family in Vermont, we headed back to Western Mass for a couple of days and then onto our annual trip to Maine and a week with our dear friends Kat, George, Indigo and their flock of wayward rescue hounds. It was our fourth trip to see them in as many years, and it's a part of our New England summers we especially look forward to - proper holiday mode with wonderful humans.
Our itinerary consisted of lots of daytimes hanging out in and around their expansive yard, swimming in the lake, birding / hiking at local reserves, running, enjoying cool local towns, and hooking up with other good people (see forthcoming post), with evenings necking too many cocktails, eating fabulous food, and howling into the Karaoke mics. Kind of the perfect trip, all things considered.
Common Yellowthroat
Of the birds? Plenty to enjoy. We visited Green Point a couple of times, a nearby preserve with a lovely mix of habitats (and therefore species - see eBird checklist here), a memorable day out offshore (see next post), and lots of collateral opportunities here and there.
Birding at Green Point
Yellow Warbler - soooo abundant this trip
Alder Flycatcher
A (sadly expired) Pileated Woodpecker we found on a road near the house during a morning run - taken back and examined carefully by Indigo
Monarch
House Wren - two pairs with young in the garden nest boxes
Broad-winged Hawk over the garden - one of four species of raptor that checked out the chickens (the others being Cooper's and Red-tailed Hawk, and Bald Eagle)
Plenty more from Maine to follow shortly!
