Adult Cliff Swallow
It was already 85 degrees when I arrived in the Swoope area a little before 10:00 a.m. The forecast was for near record highs and late afternoon rain. I wanted to see if I could re-locate the Dickcissel I photographed there on May 25th, but I was unsuccessful. I did log 31 avian species this morning, most of them in Swoope and a few more at the Augusta Springs Wetlands. When I headed for home a little before 1 p.m., it was 90 degrees. The best birds of the day were an adult and a juvenile Cliff Swallow sitting together on a power line along Hewitt Road.
Adult Cliff Swallow
Adult Cliff Swallow
Juvenile Cliff Swallow
Juvenile Cliff Swallow
There were Killdeers, Wood Ducks, and a Mallard in Smith Lake. The was an adult male and female Wood Duck, several immature male and female Wood Ducks, and a second brood of little ones.
Wood Ducks
Wood Ducks
There were a lot of carp swimming at the lake surface, and a large snapping turtle swam toward me to see who I was. I saw an Empidonax Flycatcher, but it wasn't singing, so I couldn't tell if it was an Alder or a Willow, but it was near to where I saw an Alder on May 25th.
Empidonax Flycatcher
Carp
Snapping Turtle
A Barn Swallow landed near the Killdeers to snag a meal, or perhaps some mud for a nest?
Barn Swallow
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark
Immature female(?) Red-winged Blackbird