Birds of Patuxent Research Refuge

Last photo of the Summer Tanager .....

I did get my first photo this year of the 'White-eyed Vireo'. I constantly hear them but they tend to conceal themselves quite well in the tree cover.

That White-eyed Vireo is gorgeous and a great pic! Summer Tanager is beautiful and of course I love the Pileated and Bluebird!

That Pileated is such a beauty! I'd be glad just to see that, but seeing the Chat, Summer Tanager and Vireo would be fantastic. Hope you'll return to this area again soon. Your photos are always fun to see.

Thank you both ..... duc, it only takes me 20 minutes to get to the Refuge (North tract) from my house. I take all of my photos from the refuge roadways. A lot of times, it seems as though I have the entire place to myself. Despite having a number of trails, I choose to avoid the weeds and forest because of heavy deer tick infestation. I generally set up shop where the lighting and "props" are most ideal and hope for the best. It does no good to see something when the sun is shining directly in your face.

I'm still learning the various bird sounds. I sometimes drive along the wildlife drive with the windows down. If I hear a certain specie that I am interested in, I stop the car, get out and set up my camera and tripod. A lot of places put out publications, that inform you as to what species nest at the refuge, what season they are most prevalent, etc. That helps because my #1 objective when I go out is to hopefully photograph a bird that I don't have in my portfolio. That has become a difficult task. But the fun is in the challenge.

I visit places with the knowledge of what I might expect. For example, I had not seen a Baltimore Oriole yet this year. This past weekend I went to Centennial Lake, about 25 minutes from my house. I pulled into the parking lot, got out and immediately heard and saw a Baltimore Oriole. I prefer to get there about a month earlier before all the leaves are out, but I didn't make it. But, I knew that they nest there.

It helps to be in a network as to what birds are being seen where. This past week a birder or two saw a 'Gray Kingbird' near the Baltimore harbor. That may be the first one ever recorded in Maryland. But no photographs ? Within a day, 25 birders converged to the site only to be unsuccessful.

Sorry for the verbosity ......

linth,Beautiful shots ,you are soo lucky to have ares to watch from not far from home.I need to make time to sit and watch intsead of working in the gardens and watching.Just beautiful. thank you

Oh my, what gorgeous photos. If only I could see a quarter of these birds in my life time. Thanks for posting.

Congratulations Linth on the Oriole sighting. Hope you get a chance to look for a nest.

Nice job on the Pileated. I saw one at the Theodore Roosevelt Island but was unable to get a photo of it. Did the ranger say why the Bluebirds were having such a difficult time succeeding? What days are you going 'cause you are luckier than me. The last time I went I drove my truck down one of the paths along the transmission lines (got off the beat and path) and I spotted quite a few species (1st for me) such as the: Orchard Oriole, Yellow-breasted Chat, saw the Hooded Warbler fly by and of course the Prairie Warbler - no photos like you though. Good job

Thanks, everyone.

Met, the ranger didn't say why the bluebirds houses were unsuccessful. Of course, that was just the ones that he monitored. They do have the tree swallows that nest in the houses and also lots of snakes around Patuxent.

As to my success versus yours at Patuxent, most of it has to do with the frequency of visit. I'm there a lot more than you have been. Even then, I have good days and bad days. The last few times I was there, I might as well have stayed home.

This thread is reaching its end so I probably won't start a new one right away. The following photos are a few more that I took within the last month. I finally was able to photograph a male Scarlet Tanager, albeit some distance away.

I was hoping for something closer, like this one, taken last July from the same spot.

This is one of my favorite birds, to hear ....the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. You can't mistake the call. Their voice travels some distance. Recently, I have been hearing them quite a bit, at Patuxent.

Always lots of American Goldfinches in the fields, at Patuxent.

I do see an occasional Great Blue Heron at Patuxent. But they're not as people tolerant as some places I visit.

Although they are around, I don't get a lot of 'Gray Catbird' photos at Patuxent.

I can always count on seeing an occasional Brown Thrashers at Patuxent

Here is a 'Tufted Titmouse' ......

An ' Eastern Kingbird' ......

An 'Eastern Phoebe' ........ photo taken from the bridge at the end of wildlife drive (Met knows the location). It is the same spot that I took the American Redstart photos.

It's also the same spot that I took the Ruby-throated Hummingbird photos that I posted on another thread.

Two more photos. I came across an 'Eastern Wood Pewee' nest along the wildlife drive. The lighting wasn't very good but here it is.

Last photo for this thread ... another shot of the 'Eastern Wood Pewee' nest ......

Hope you enjoyed them. It's just been too hot recently to stand out in the sun, at Patuxent. I think that we have had 36 days above 90 degrees this summer and 6 days above 100 degrees. I hate to see my next electric bill.

Au revoir !!!

Beautiful photos Linth. I really like that Yellow-billed Cuckoo-such an interesting bird.
Love the Scarlet Tanager and the colors in the Brown Thrasher.

Hope it cools down a little for you. The heat is normal for us through the summer and we're used to it, but it sure slows down the birding opportunities after 8 a.m.

absolutly beautiful .

Nice shots Lithicum. I think I have a shot of the Eastern Pewee from Cheltenham this spring/summer. I will have to put it up on the ID site for confirmation. I saw and heard the Yellow billed Cuckoo bird at Huntley Meadows but I was not able to get shot, but it's in the memory vault. I will get back to the Refuge one day.

Take care

Very nice variety of bird's at Patuxent. Great shots Linth!