Howdee all,
We had a great time birding and chatting our way through Plum Island, but we were way off schedule and needed to get to NH.
After yummy Roast beef sandwiches at the Courtyard restaurant in Newburyport we left for New Hampshire.
Lowie from the Worn Field Guide is doing a big year in NH and was our guide for part of this trip.
She took us to Newmarket to see the nesting Mississippi Kites.(read about the 2008 sightings and history of these birds At Picus blog) We saw mom on the nest….her head and tail..
Waited a bit hoping dad would fly in..but he didn't..
I didn't take a photo of the Kite on the nest but John from Birding in Maine did!
Ok..use your imagination the nest is in the one of those trees to the left of the telephone pole…or go to Johns blog for the real thing!
After seeing the nesting Kite. We went on to Chapmans landing to see the Saltmarsh and the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows.
We walked thru these amazing grasses which aren't the grasses that you see in the above photo..but ones that blended in with the grasses in the photo below..as we walked on the grass it emitted a wonderful fragrant odor reminiscent of cilantro! I wanted to bottle it. I forget what type of grass Lowie said they were…Lowie???
Lowie was determined to get both Sparrows for us! Thanks Lowie, You rock!
We saw many Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows and a few quick and not so cooperative looks at Nelsons.
Christopher or Steve will probably know what type of Dragon fly this is.Red-winged blackbird ….the black box upper right..is used in Green fly control, according to Sharon, from A New England Life..
Lowie left us to go farther north in NH…to add more birds to her big year.
Christopher our fearless leader took over and we listened to a Virginia Rail about ten feet from us..but it never showed itself.
Nice hat Steve!
it was in the shrubs and grasses to the left of our shadows. Do you see me taking the photo?
Christopher then took us to Pease air force base to look for Upland Sandpipers. We saw Upland dots…small far away looks. So I didn't count it as a life bird..bummer..
Great looks of a Raven Mom and her young on tall dirt piles..
It was a long day and the sun was setting! We went to another area of Pease to see if we could get better looks of the Uplands.
But officer…I am not taking photos for anti government espionage!…
Never did get good looks of the Uplands..will save that until our next visit..
We had a wonderful time with some great people!
I would love to continue these outings for Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp..and encourage all of you to have outings as well.
You may purchase buttons for your BwBTC outings at Zazzle..or just wait until I come to your area and set up a get together…
I give them as a gift because…
I like to.
Thanks again To Christopher who did a marvelous job planning and Leading us.
Thanks Lowie for staying longer that you should have…
Thanks to my Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp friends for coming..It was so nice to meet all of you from blogs that I already know and love..and to meet others who's blogs are new to me.
See you all in Cyberspace…until we meet again!