Kingfisher Chatter

(a blog about Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge)

 

29 Sep 2013

 

Fall is in the air and I've been very busy fattening up for the long cold spell that isn't too far off.  The trees are starting to turn beautiful colors here on the Refuge, especially the ones near my waterways.  The fall bird migration is on and I have seen many of my relatives that I haven't seen since spring because they went north for the summer.  These include (click on the links to see pictures): 

• Pine Warbler
• Prairie Warbler
• American Redstart

 

Others friends seen recently include:

• Cooper's Hawk:  I knew he was here as the ducks were making a fuss.  He was sitting in a tree overlooking their feeding spot on Puffer Pond
• Green Heron
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Blue Heron egg (must have dropped from a nest...but there were no nests nearby!!!)
• American Black Duck
• Lincoln's Sparrow
• Grasshopper Sparrow
• Common Yellowthroat taking a bath
• Northern Catbird taking a bath

There have been lots of interesting insects spotted lately:

• Brown Daddy-Long-Legs
• White Admiral Butterfly
• Cabbage White Butterfly
• Little Glassywing Butterfly
• Banded Tussock Moth Caterpillar
• Wooly Bear (Isabella Tiger Moth) Caterpillar
• Common Backswimmer (watch out, they bite!)
• Whirlygig Beetle
• Black Beetle
• Japanese Beetle
• Northern Flatid Planthopper
• Chinese Mantid (the largest Mantid on the refuge.  Introduced to the U.S. in 1896 as a "beneficial" insect)
• Locust Borer
• Ruby Meadowhawk Dragonfly
• Bald-faced Hornet's nest
• Bald-faced Hornet (very protective of their nest...don't goof with them!)
• American Pelecinid Wasp (this is a female.  Spotting the smaller male is very rare)
• Eastern Yellow Jacket
• Paper Wasp
• American Bumblebee
• Honey Bee

Other sightings include:

• Chipmunk (very busy collecting acorns to get them through the winter)
•  Freshwater Snail shell (found along Otter Way)
• Pickerel Frog

 Its good to be back online.  I'll talk to you again soon.

 

- Kingfisher

Kingfisher Chatter

10 Aug 2013

 

My friends Gary and Paulette walked my land starting at North parking area (off White Pond Rd. in Stow) progressing to Taylor Way and Winterberry Way as far as the bridge.  Backtracking they made their way to Otter Alley and Harry's Way to White Pond Road and back to the North parking lot.  Walk started late morning.  The woodsy parts of the trails were heavy with mosquito but overall enjoyable and no Off was used.

 

Wildlife sightings were low but there were some interesting finds.  Brown Creepers were seen in the parking lot. Their colorations make them masters of disguise (click on photos for larger size images):

 

 

 

There were lots of locusts/grasshoppers.  Carolina Grasshopper were the most abundant species. 

 

 

Look for black/dark brown wings fringed with tan when they fly.  Many Robins, Goldfinch, Grackles seen along the way.  At the North Marsh (gotta give the marsh and stream areas better names...soon), there were Great Blue Herons, one Green Heron, Kingfishers (me included), Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Phoebes to name a few.  It was not as birdy as usual.  Tent Caterpillars were also seen indicating that autumn is not far off.

 

 

 

Along Winterberry Way a couple walking a dog was observed.  Shame on them!

 

Busted!



 

Remember, dogs are not allowed on the Refuge. 

 

 

This year's crop of Canada Geese look very mature now as do the Mallard chicks.  Along Otter Alley a Poison Ivy Sawfly was seen. 

 

 

These insects lay their eggs on Poison Ivy (itchy just thinking of it). 

 

Enjoy Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge.  Hope to see you there.  

 

- Kingfisher

Belated Post: Birding by Ear

 

Kingfisher Chatters

On Saturday AM, July 27th, John Milhaven of Friends of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge ( www.farnwr.org ) led "friends" and some visitors on a birding walk at the refuge.  The walk was entitled: "Birding by Ear" and as the name implies it was more about identifying Avians by listening to their calls.  The walk started at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge (ARNWR) Visitor Center then down Winterberry Way to Taylor Way as far as the footbridge.  Then the walk backtracked to Otter Alley.  Harry's Way was followed to complete the loop back to the Visitor Center.

 

The highlight for most of us was hearing a Black-billed Cuckoo. New England is will within the summer (breeding) range of the Black- and Yellow-billed Cuckoos.  Unfortunately no Cuckoos were seen.  Along the way numerous other birds were heard and seen.  Here are some photos from the walk (click on the highlighted listings below to view the photos):

 

• Red-winged Blackbird (female) and Cedar Waxwing atop a tree
• Close-up of Red-winged Blackbird (female)
• Northern Cardinal (juvenile female)
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Eastern Kingbird
• Yellow Warbler
• Close-up view of Cedar Waxwing
• Another close-up view of Cedar Waxwing
• Canada Geese
• Mallards
• Red-tailed Hawk (not positively identified but most likely a good ID
• Song Sparrow
• Eastern Phoebe
• Turkey Vulture
• Common Grackles

Other species seen but not photographed include: Pine Warbler; Green Heron; American Robin; Belted Kingfisher (me :-) ); Great Blue Herons and many more.  If  you visit FARNWR's Flicker account ( http://farnwr.org/gallery1.html ), you can see lots more wildlife from ARNWR.  Check frequently as the website is updated frequently with new Fauna and Flora.

 

Don't forget to subscribe to this Blog.  You can find the subscription tab on the right of the screen.  On my screen it is a pop-up menu so run the mouse on the right side of the screen to make it pop-up. 

 

Until next time,

 

              Kingfisher

 

Kingfisher Chatters

Here are some recent sightings at ARNWR (all posted to the ARNWR Flickr account).

Name	Location	Date	URL
Birds
Great Crested Flycatcher	Taylor Way	11 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9335401385/
Eastern Bluebird (juvenile)	Taylor Way	11 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9335401239/in/photostream/
Eastern Towhee	Taylor Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9334574083/in/photostream/
Common Yellowthroat	Taylor Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9334575387/in/photostream/
Orchard Oriole	Taylor Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9337361960/in/photostream/
Belted Kingfisher	Taylor Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9337362636/in/photostream/
Blue Jay	Winterberry Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9334577539/in/photostream/
Flora
Chicory	Taylor Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9337361616/in/photostream/
Purple Loosestrife	Taylor Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9334576051/in/photostream/
Queen Anne’s Lace	Taylor Way	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9334577371/in/photostream/
Insects
Banded Longhorn Beetle	Otter Alley	16 Jul 2013	http://www.flickr.com/photos/91861642@N05/9334575109/in/photostream/

The weather has been hot and water levels are low.  The flow of water at the footbridge on Winterberry Way has reversed direction and is now flow east versus the usual westward flow.

When there is a breeze, mosquitos are absent especially in open areas.  Dragonflies and butterflies are everywhere now.  Lots of Red-spotted Purples Butterflies and Mourning Cloak Butterflies.  The most common Dragonflies these days are Blue Dashers, Eastern Pondhawks and Common Whitetails.

Fledglings are everywhere.  Today (07/22) in the afternoon, the following chicks were seen:

• Common Yellow Throat
• Cedar Waxwing
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Green Heron
• Pine Warbler
• Eastern Phoebe
• Gray Catbird
• Eastern Bluebird
• Common Grackle

There were lots of Belted Kingfishers, Eastern Kingbirds, Chipping Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Great Blue Herons, Eastern Phoebes.

Enjoy nature!

- Kingfisher

Welcome to Kingfisher Chatter: A blog about Assabet RIver National Wildlife Refuge

Kingfisher Chatter

I hope you will visit my home, Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge (ARNWR).  It's a perfect place for experiencing nature.  Obey the rules, respect my land and waterways and you are welcome to share them with me.  If you are observant you may see many of my friends.  You'll find photos of them at: http://farnwr.org/gallery1.html .

 

If you see anything unusual or interesting on the refuge, have a photo taken on the refuge to post or which to make comments or ask a question, send email to kingfisherchatter@gmail.com .

 

 

Enjoy nature at the refuge and subscribe to this blog too!

 - Kingfisher