August 27 & 28, 2021
I spent the last two mornings casually walking a couple of areas for some nature photographs.
On the 27th, I visited Pleasure House Natural Area Preserve in Virginia Beach. The morning was peaceful with casual viewing of expected late summer birds and similar type insects. The highlight was observing two Great Crested Flycatchers foraging in the trees and being successful in their attempts.
On the 28th, I spent about an hour at Tucker Park in Goochland County along the James River. The expected odonates were present and I enjoyed watching a Great Black Wasp feed on the pollen and nectar at the flower garden.
August 25, 2021
I got out briefly about mid-morning to Tucker Park in Goochland County. While watching pollinators and some of the woodland edges, I noted a couple of Robber Fly species and a Solitary Wasp that are all fairly common now.
The Solitary Wasp was the Great Golden Digger Wasp which is a pollinator but does take prey so that its larvae can feed and grow before emerging next year from the burrow it excavates. The two Robber Flies were Promachus rufipes and Diogmites neoternatus. Promachus rufipes is a powerful robber fly capable of tackling most insects as it’s prey. Diogmites neoternatus is one of the “hanging” robber flies which have the habit of suspending themselves by a couple of legs while they feed on their prey.
August 22-23, 2021
I traveled to both Augusta and Highland Counties for the pursuit of some nature photography to get away from the heat and humidity in the piedmont area. I had hoped that the trip would be accompanied by some good early bird migration, but I personally encountered very little movement of birds. The best observed bird was a Golden-winged Warbler in Augusta County which got away prior to me getting a photograph.
The highlights of the trip, for me, were netting and photographing both Ocellated and Fawn Darners within 10 minutes of each other on a stream in Highland County. I have shared two images of each darner, one lateral and one dorsal, for assistance in identification. The other highlight was observing a River Otter family feed and frolic around for 20 minutes on a beaver pond. During that time I observed them feed on both crayfish and Red-spotted Newts.
August 19, 2021
I traveled to the Skyline Drive along both Augusta and Albermarle County this morning to see what warblers might be migrating. While there did not appear to be a large movement of birds, it appeared that Yellow Warbler and American Redstart might be the main movers overnight. I observed a total of 14 warbler species with the personal highlights being Cerulean and Kentucky Warbler.
August 13, 2021
I visited Powhatan State Park this morning to check for any migrant species. The only species noted in numbers and moving were Orchard Orioles.
The highlights were some young bucks in velvet and a young turkey up and close preening.
August 12, 2021
I drove down to Virginia Beach this morning for a little photography in an area that I do not visit much during the summer months. I spent most of my effort at Pleasure House Point Natural Area.
I was present at daybreak, with the tide out, and the herons, egrets and Clapper Rails were feeding actively along the tidal creeks. Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Snowy Egrets and Green Herons were the most common wader species. A few migrants were also noted during the morning with American Redstart and Yellow Warbler being predominant.
As far as odes were concerned, both Wandering Glider and Spot-winged Glider were the most conspicuous species, followed by Black Saddlebags and Seaside Dragonlets.
All in all an enjoyable morning, except for the increasing temperature and humidity, as the hours went by.
August 8, 2021
I visited both King William and Charles City County today with a focus on migrating shorebirds. To my disappointment not to many were encountered during the foray. Pectoral, Least, Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper were the only species observed beyond the ubiquitous Killdeer. Also noted migrating were Purple Martins, Tree Swallows, Orchard Orioles and Yellow Warblers. In Charles City County, I did note a Tricolored Heron.
Maine Trip
I spent two (2) weeks with in a remote area of Maine (Washington County) from July 21st through August 4th. I had very enjoyable company and we had great weather and shared experiences. We did not travel much or far while there but I still managed several new species of odonates and enjoyed many breeding species of birds. We also got to enjoy the abundance of what nature has to provide us with many meals of Chanterelles and Blueberries.
New odes were Scarlet Bluet and Little Bluet. I also got to enjoy many Marsh Bluets, Belted Whiteface and Canada Darners of which I have had limited experience. The Belted Whiteface (white form) in Maine had pruinosity on their first 4ish abdominal segments while the one’s I had previously observed in Montana did not.
