Thursday, September 19, 2024

Summer insects - Part 5

Summer doesn't technically end until this Sunday, so here is one more batch of summer insects seen around the city.  I've had a really great time learning about insects new to me, as well as finding some of my favorites.

Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

I tried all summer to catch one of these perched. I saw plenty of them flying around me and hovering, but it wasn't until this last weekend that one obliged me and posed for some photos.

Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

Check out the ragged wings.

Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

Despite being in bad shape, this dragonfly seemed to have no problem flying and hawking insects.
 
Twelve-Spotted Skimmer


I think these are some of the most beautiful dragonflies. And they're about as big as my hand!

Common Green Darner

Common Green Darner

The harsh sunlight kind of washed out the vibrancy of the colors on this individual, but it's a rainbow of purple, blue, yellow and green.

Common Green Darner

Common Green Darner


This male kept resting in the sun on flat surfaces, making him easy to spot.

Eastern Pondhawk

I like his overall chalky look, contrasted by his huge shiny eyes and minty green mouthparts.

Eastern Pondhawk


I've posted photos of Cicada Killers before, but I can't get enough. This female (below) has a damaged wing, but that didn't stop her from zipping around, keeping other wasps out of her territory.

Cicada Killer Wasp

She means business!

Cicada Killer Wasp

This is a different individual getting ready to enter her burrow.

Cicada Killer Wasp


This is a new insect for me. The scape moth is very small - maybe 1/2 an inch - and I only noticed it because it landed on a flower at my foot. The yellow collar appeared very bright in person.

Yellow-Collared Scape Moth


Unlike the scape moth, this dagger moth is perfectly camouflaged as it rests on the side of a stone marker. I might not have seen it if it hadn't been obscuring some text.

Greater Oak Dagger Moth


Skipper butterflies were numerous this summer, but this was the only Silver-Spotted I encountered.

Silver-Spotted Skipper

Silver-Spotted Skipper


I couldn't get a photo of this butterfly with its wings open, but I think the undersides are more interesting anyway. The pattern is intricate and colorful.

American Lady Butterfly


One of these butterflies is in better shape than the other, who has worn and faded wings.

Pearl Crescent Butterflies


I made a point to count all the Monarchs I saw while out birding or walking. Sadly, I found very few this summer. This is a butterfly I grew up knowing as being numerous and widespread. Each one I find now is special.

Monarch Butterfly

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, Monarch populations have dropped by over 80% in the last twenty years. It breaks my heart to think we could lose this species in my lifetime.

Monarch Butterfly

The easiest and most immediate action we can take to help the endangered Monarch is to plant milkweed.
 
This article lists several more ways to save these butterflies as well as helping out our native insects.
 
Previously:
 
Summer Insects 


Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Molt time for hawks

It's mid-September, which tends to be the "quiet" time of year for our local red-tailed hawks. The breeding season is done, the youngsters have gone off on their own, and it's still too early for the next nesting cycle to begin. I like to think of it as vacation time for the hawks, and for me, as I take a little breather after an intense summer of hawk documentation.

I've not had any news regarding the Tompkins Square hawk fledgling who was/is staying at the Raptor Trust in New Jersey. As far as I know, it is doing well.

For now, I thought I'd post about molting. Starting in early to mid summer, the adult hawks begin their summer molt, where they shed their old feathers and grow a brand new set. This usually takes several weeks, and the hawks can look kind of disheveled as they go through the process.

This is Amelia in August. You can see that she's growing two new outer tail feathers (the little short ones), as well as a few primary feathers on her wings. Her head looks very white as she has lost many of her dark brown head/facial feathers.

Amelia carrying a stick.

This is Christo and Amelia in July. Amelia (right) doesn't look too bad, but Christo (left) has a raggedy looking head.

Christo and Amelia.

This is another shot of Christo in July where his face is molting quite a bit. All the little white splotches are downy feathers falling out. When he preened, it looked like he was snowing feathers.

Christo molting.

To compare, this is how Christo normally looks in the spring. He usually has a neat and sleek appearance.

Christo on a normal day.

Here is Christo at his worst, LOL. He only has half his tail feathers (there are 12 in a complete set), there are gaps in his wings, and he looks very pale and almost sickly. Despite his appearance, he's perfectly healthy and functional.

Christo looking ghoulish as he flies.

This is Christo, again looking pale, and shedding some body feathers.

Christo molting.

Christo molting.

Christo molting.

Christo molting.

His head molt is more obvious in the sunlight. The area around his eyes looks messy.

Christo molting.

Christo molting.

He knows he's still handsome, though.

Christo molting.

Adding to the spooky look, Christo shows us his nictitating membrane, allowing him to observe us through the glare of the sun.

Christo displays his nictitating membrane.

Christo stretching.

This is Christo last year, mid-molt.

Christo molting.

The resident female red-tailed hawk of Governors Island is a good example of a dramatic molter. This is how she normally looks:

Resident female hawk 42A of Governors Island.

And this is her mid-molt with feathers coming out of her face, back and wings.

Governors Island female hawk 42A molting.

By October, all the hawks should have all their brand new feathers, looking good once again.


Friday, September 13, 2024

Bird highlights of the week

Fall bird migration is underway, so we're starting to see a lot of new birds around the city. Below are some recent highlights from my outings.

This Mourning Warbler was just hanging out with the lunch crowd in Bryant Park in Midtown:

Mourning Warbler.

Mourning Warbler.

And this male Hooded Warbler attracted a lot of attention as he hunted insects in front of the NY Public Library on 5th Avenue.

Hooded Warbler.

Hooded Warbler.

For a tiny little guy, he really stood out with his bright yellow and black plumage.

Hooded Warbler.

Hooded Warbler.

I somehow managed to catch this Eastern Kingbird in flight as it chased flying insects.

Eastern Kingbird.

A Northern Parula, one of my favorite warblers:

Northern Parula.

A Magnolia Warbler showing us its streaky flank:

Magnolia Warbler.

A little Lincoln's Sparrow foraging in some grass:

Lincoln's Sparrow.

This was my first sighting of an American Avocet in New York. This one was hanging out at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens.

American Avocet.

American Avocet.

This little Semipalmated Plover was hopping around on just one leg, but seemed to be managing.

Semipalmated Plover.

Greater Yellowlegs at Jamaica Bay:

Greater Yellowlegs.

Greater Yellowlegs.

And, believe it or not, my first Whimbrel:

Whimbrel.

I've seen more American Oystercatchers in the last couple of weeks than ever before. I love their calls - they always sound so excited.

American Oystercatchers.

This is my first Merlin of the fall season, who caught a bird (house sparrow?) and posed with its prey before taking off with it.

Merlin with prey.