Swallow-tailed Kite !

Dayle Vanderwier was driving west on Sternberg Road near Carr Road today when a Swallow-tailed Kite flew along parallel to his car for a short distance.  No way to chase a bird like that, but we might all keep our eyes open!

Over 50 Species on Today's Field Trip

Details about this morning's field trip to the Wastewater properties are posted on our homepage.  This evening Charlie DeWitt emailed:

This is one of the seven Great Egrets that I saw on White Rd today.  

Thanks, Charlie!  That's beautiful!

We Need a Butterfly Identification

Ric, can you ID this butterfly?  - Frank Aspey

No, I cannot, but I don't know butterflies.  Hopefully someone viewing this can I.D. it for you (either in the Comments below or in an email to me which I'll post here).  - Ric

Nature Preserve Saturday Morning

Charlie (below) at least photographed one bird on his walk at Black Lake.  At the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve this morning I snapped none, despite seeing and hearing many (22 species).  I did shoot a butterfly near the southwest boardwalk and flowers near the northeast boardwalk:

Monarch

Buttonbush?

- Ric

Cardinal at Black Lake Park

Female Northern Cardinal

I went to Black Lake Park looking for dragonflies and this is what I found.  Some days you just have to settle for what shows up.

- Charlie DeWitt

Thursday Morning at Black Lake

Birds and bugs were plentiful this morning at Black Lake.  I recorded 22 bird species including Great Blue Heron, Northern Flicker, Alder Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler and Indigo Bunting.

Dragonfly on a trail at Black Lake Park

(Thanks to Charlie DeWitt for identifying this as a

female Common Whitetail)

Viceroy Butterflies near the bridge. 

Monarch Butterfly along the creek.

Song Sparrow on a leaf in the meadow.

- Ric