For the birds

Jim Colligan was in Westmoreland and Mashomack this week and brought back some beautiful photos.

Pictured above, is a young osprey, caught in the moment when it’s testing its wings, ready to “fledge” the nest, watched over by other members of the family.

Above is an Eastern Towhee, described in the Audubon field guide as “sometimes secretive but often common, the Eastern Towhee may be noticed first by the sound of industrious scratching in the leaf-litter under dense thickets. In the nesting season, males become bolder, singing from high perches. In some areas this bird is commonly known as “Chewink,” after the sound of its callnote.”

Above is a male Scarlet Tanager, which according to Audubon, “seem[s] almost too bright and exotic for northeastern woodlands. These birds are fairly common in oak forests in summer, but they often remain out of sight as they forage in the leafy upper branches.”