Common Yellowthroat
We had a break in the rain this morning. Unfortunately, it also brought out lots of residents making birding a challenge, but I ended up with 27 avian species here in Old Trail, with a quick detour to a nearby subdivision.
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Bluebirds bringing food to nest box
Wood Ducks
Wood Duck
Spotted Sandpiper
Red-shouldered Hawk on nest
Northern Flicker
Bufflehead
Canada Goose and goslings
Swamp Sparrow
Near the end of my hike, I saw the smallest Eastern Painted Turtle I have ever seen. It couldn't have been much more than an inch long (not counting it's tail). I thought it must have been newly hatched, but my Audubon guide states that nesting is May through July, with an incubation period of 10 to 11 weeks. In fact, the eggs are 1-1/4 inch long, so this small turtle is a mystery as to its size. It was on the asphalt path behind the lodge, and I almost stepped on it, so I picked it up and placed it in the nearby grass.
Eastern Painted Turtle