next one’s wood I promise

osprey

I just got back from a quick trip to Maine. I managed to get a lot of birding in. Among the most absurd spectacles was the fish-ladder at Damariscotta Mills. The alewives were running some  of the time; and the osprey descend on the place to literally pluck fish just about out of a barrel. The photographers descend as well…it was startling to imagine the bill for all the optics in that place…many thousands of dollars. Below is an osprey who dove into the pool and came up empty. I had never seen them dive in such shallow water before…

empty handed

Same bird, or someone looking just like him came back moments later and was successful.

coming up for air

got one

all a blur to me now

I’ll spare you the other several hundred osprey shots I took…I did spend a good deal of time in the woods looking for warblers. Hard to photograph; but I did get this black-throated green warbler.

black throated green warbler

I stayed in the Blue Skye Farm B&B in Waldoboro, ME.

http://www.blueskyefarm.com/index.htm (great place, nice people. stay there if you’re in the area)

Acres & acres of woods to walk. Right in the yard were about 8 different warblers; plus an American Bittern that was calling each morning & evening, but I never could find the secretive little you-know-what. First bird I saw there the day I arrived was an immature Bald Eagle.

blue skye farm B&B, Waldoboro, ME

But, I had to cut it short & scoot back home. Saw this oriole today. I remember when they were quite rare here in Massachusetts, now they are always singing all spring.

northern oriole

But like the GD used to say, “such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.” Lots to see in Maine, but another time. Here’s the two little birds I really came home to see (and their mother, or course).  I promise, next two posts at least are about woodworking. One on benches for the folks following that recent spate of bloggery.

two little birds