Wednesday: 4-26-17 Natural Bridge State Park, KY

The 3 hour hike to the Natural Bridge was steep and difficult.

An interesting tree along the trail.

Water droplets falling from the mountain top

Roots hang on wherever they can get a toe hold

Handsome male American Goldfinch

Washington's State Bird

Dwarf Crested Iris

Male Hooded Warbler

These birds along with Northern Parulas and Red-eyed Vireos were singing all day long on the trails we hiked.

Male Brown-headed Cowbird

Female

Moss Fruiting Bodies

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

American Robin: State Bird of both Connecticut and Wisconsin

Wild Geranium

Ft Desoto County Park:1-20-17

Sunrise

Eastern Phoebe

Osprey nest

White Peacock

Little Blue Heron and immature Black-crowned Night-Heron

Ruddy Turnstone

Royal Terns

Willet

Sunset: 1-20-17

Willets and Friends: Ft Desoto County Park: Beach Nesting Bird Survey, April 14th

Willets

Although both parents incubate the eggs, only the male Willet spends the night on the nest.

A handsome bird standing and in flight

Least Sandpipers

The Least Sandpiper is the smallest shorebird in the world, weighing in at about 1 ounce and measuring only 5-6 inches long (Males are slightly smaller)

Look how far north they have yet to travel before they reach their breeding grounds!  That's a long flight, for sure!