Black Swallowtail

P. polixenes

What a glorious day! I finally met up with a fellow birder at Lenape Park and was able to give him a photograph of the Scissor-tail Flycatcher that we spotted on May 13th. It's a rare sighting for NJ and I believe the young bird was blown off course due to the turbulent weather the country has been experiencing. The Scissor-tail Flycatcher normally inhabits our south-central states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Florida.

I documented the sighting on Cornell's eBird website which is a scientific database and boy, did word get around fast as NJ Audubon visited Lenape last week. The migration has been very exciting!

Today we spotted a flock of Cedar Waxwings and a Red Shoulder Hawk. I found the nest of a tiny Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and watched for awhile as she flitted to and fro feeding her young ones. The nest reminded me of those built by the hummingbirds. I also spotted the female bluebird surveying her territory, the red bellied woody pecking away at a very holey tree and I was getting ready to call it a day when this black beauty fluttered by.

I'm very pleased to have caught this shot as the winds were terrific and the poor thing was being blown around like crazy as it clung to the yellow Iris. This is the first one I've ever seen! Yippee!

Heading back tomorrow - hope the winds decrease - hoping to spot the warbler and the waxwings.

Wishing everyone a blessed Memorial Day as we remember and celebrate our loved ones who served.