An Oystercatcher Feeding Its Chick

Wednesday, September 11, 2019,

Here’s a trio of photographs of an adult American Oystercatcher bringing food to the table, I mean, beach. The unlucky breakfast item is a Mole Crab, a favored menu item here at Nickerson Beach. Oystercatchers enjoy a varied diet. At other locations, I have seen them tackling Mussels and other bivalves.

Mom, or Dad – both parents feed their youngsters – dig up the Mole Crabs and bring them to their chicks. At this age the young Oystercatcher probably already knows some of the basics of foraging but its folks are still looking out for it. It takes lot of work to produce the next generation but that’s what it takes for the continuation of the species.And these guys are a truly beautiful species. JK

JK

 

Juvenile Common Yellowthroat

Tuesday, September 10, 2019,

Here’s a cute little guy that I found at Avalon Park and Preserve in Stony Brook. When I took this photo, I was fairly certain that it was one of the warblers and that maybe it was a female Yellowthroat but I really couldn’t be sure of anything. Truth be told, I am not a very good birder. So I sent these pics to my friend Luci from the Four Harbors Audubon Society and she identified it as a juvenile male Common Yellowthroat. So, I was almost correct. And do you know what? I’ll take it. JK

JK

A Cabbage White in Mattituck

Monday, September 9, 2019,

This is a Cabbage White Butterfly. Go ahead, click on the photo for a better view. This one is worth it. It’s not often that one gets the chance to appreciate just how pretty these ubiquitous butterflies actually are. You can find these guys almost everywhere but I found this one in Mattituck. I had just left a Sunflower field and was heading home when I happened across  this tiny park after missing a turn. What a lucky miss. These lovely violet flowers bordering a small pond after all that yellow were a very welcome change. Please don’t misunderstand me, the sunflowers were terrific, but this little park was like a wonderful dessert that follows a sumptuous dinner. Sometimes, you just enjoy the dessert better.  

The flowers in these photos are called Purple Loosestrife. As beautiful as they are, they are considered an invasive. I sound pretty informed, don’t I? It’s all smoke and mirrors. In fact, I had thought that these might be Lavender. I was, of course, wrong, as is usually the case when it comes to anything plant related. Luckily, I am aware of my faults. Even luckier still, I have an ace in the hole, or rather, a friend in the garden. Whenever I think I might blog about a flower or a plant of any kind, I send my friend Sue Avery an email and she sets me straight. I can guarantee you that nearly every time I mention a plant of any kind, Sue has helped me with the identification. Sue has her own blog and I invite you to check it out. It’s called The Tangled Wood and it is beautifully written. Sue truly has a way with words. Her prose is as poetic as it is informative. I really think you’ll enjoy her style. I know I do. JK.