Animals from Trent's drumlin

Well, I have been busy with school. What more can I say?

Actually, I can talk about the alternating rainy-sunny days that have been going on this week. Or that I went to a M.Sc student thesis defense about her project on Chimney Swifts on Tuesday. Or that I led my first ever lab in Plant Ecology to a drumlin next to the campus to teach students how to conduct plant sampling.

Yesterday was pretty fun too, when the AAA club had a meeting and then some of us hiked up to the drumlin to look for birds. There wasn't many birds in the afternoon, but we did saw a few interesting animals.

Such as this handsome garter snake.

More Than Usual

Saw an unknown grasshopper at the Gilbert Road Community Garden today. It was sort of trapped between me and meshed fence, hence the closer-than-usual photos. Hopefully someone will help me identify it over at BugGuide.  [Edit: It may be a Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina), thanks to Tim for the help.]

Insects at South Dyke Sharing Farm

Another nice day today to head out and check out what critters I can find over at South Dyke Community Garden/Sharing Farm.

Sky-watching from the garden.

Seeing a "white" Goldfinch, and other questions?

Well, today was certainly an interesting day. I saw a few things that are certainly worth posting.

American Robin staring at the direction of an eagle call. Photo taken with the TCON again.

I am usually not good with insect identification. But I was watching the TV program "The Secret World of Gardens", and it was taking about flies today. That how I know this is a Hoverfly that I saw this afternoon.

Hoverfly

Great Horned Owl again (on a farther tree) concentrating on napping despite the annoying crows around it.

The first thing that boggled my mind today. American Goldfinches that I saw (so far) this year are all canary bright yellow colors. But this one I saw today is pale yellow and almost whitish. Could it be a Leucistic American Goldfinch? It can't be an albino because then it would have to be all white. A quick search on Google and one of the results slightly confirms my prediction. Any help, please?

In the pond in Terra Nova, a pair of Gadwall arrived and was splashing and preening their feathers. What a handsome male!

Then I spotted this weird looking duck (the one closer to me). It has a dark reddish-brown head and is a diving duck. But what species? Again, help please?

Tilt your head slightly to the right as I photographed at an angle to get all four eagles.

Lastly, as I was heading back home, I saw four Bald Eagles perched on the tree (with the abandoned eagle nest). I think they are all related as there were two adults and two immature eagles. I am guessing no one is in the nest incubating the eggs or raising the nestings? I guess no new chicks this year? Sad.
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