Phoebe nest

These couple photos were taken in June. I don't think they made it as we returned the following week to see the nest on our deck. Something must have reached them up on the light.

Visiting black bears

Hello everyone. Jim K. spotted a black bear up on Honey Locust last evening. It seems to have wandered by properties from the upper gate on down. Only minor damage noted as it scavenged for food.
Remember to keep trash secured and bird feeders in at night this time of year.

Black Widows in RR

I received an email from Jim K regarding a visit in their yard from a Black Widow with a mass of eggs. He spotted this while splitting wood in the yard. She was protecting her egg mass but they were able to get a very good look at her from the top side as well as her distinctive hour glass figured bottom. He wanted to get a picture but alas his camera battery was dead.

They are in the area and active right now. They are not aggressive but do bite when accidentally encountered.

This image on the web site is apparently exactly like what he saw yesterday.
See the image and read a brief summary of them and their risks here:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/black-widow-spider.html

Birding (and snake and black bear) List for June

This is from a friend of Helen's, Jay Taylor. These are from around the area. I need to explore the park more and Eidelon!!

River Ridge/Cacapon River, Morgan Co., WV
Canada Goose: 16 in the river by the river park

Wood Duck: 1 f with 10 ducklings

Green Heron: 1 in the river park

Turkey Vulture: several

Mourning Dove: open areas, yards

Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 2

Barred Owl: 1 hunting from power lines along Rt. 9

Chimney Swift: several in Berkeley Springs

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: several

Red-bellied Woodpecker: 3

Downy Woodpecker: 1

Hairy Woodpecker: 2

Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker: 1

Pileated Woodpecker: 2 at a nest in the river park, several others heard

Eastern Phoebe: common; 2 adults with young in the river park

Eastern Wood-Pewee: common

Acadian Flycatcher: 1

Great-crested Flycatcher: several

Eastern Kingbird: 2 in the river park

Red-eyed Vireo: common

Blue Jay: common

American Crow: several

Cedar Waxwing: several flocks

Black-capped Chickadee: several id'd by song

Tufted Titmouse: common

Tree Swallow: 1 along the Cacapon River

Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 1 along the Cacapon River

Carolina Wren: several

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher: 1 in the river park

White-breasted Nuthatch: several

Gray Catbird: several

Northern Mockingbird: 2 along the river raod

Brown Thrasher: 3

Eastern Bluebird: 2

Hermit Thrush: 1

American Robin: common

American Goldfinch: common

Yellow Warbler: 3 along the river road

Yellow-throated Warbler: 1

Worm-eating Warbler: 1

Louisiana Waterthrush: 2 along the river road, 1 in the river park

Baltimore Oriole: 3 along the river road

Brown-headed Cowbird: several

Red-winged Blackbird: 1 along the river road

Common Grackle: common along the Cacapon River

Song Sparrow: 1 in the river park

Chipping Sparrow: common

Eastern Towhee: common

Scarlet Tanager: 2

Northern Cardinal: common

Indigo Bunting: 3

Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata) - 1 sunning along the Cacapon River

Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) - 2

Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) - several in the Cacapon River

Grey Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) - 2 at Helen's

Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) - several along the river

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) - 1 along the river

Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) - 1 along the river

Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) - numerous

Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) - 1 along the river

Little Wood-Satyr (Megisto cymela) - several in the woods along Sideling Hill Road

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) - several along the river

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Eidolon Nature Reserve (June 5, 12, 13) Morgan County

Wild Turkey: 1 male near the ruined house

Turkey Vulture: 3

Mourning Dove: several

Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1

Hairy Woodpecker: 3

Pileated Woodpecker: several

Eastern Phoebe: common

Eastern Wood-Pewee: common

Acadian Flycatcher: 3

Great-crested Flycatcher: 2

Yellow-throated Vireo: 3

Red-eyed Vireo: common

Blue Jay: several

Cedar Waxwing: several flocks

Black-capped Chickadee: common

Tufted Titmouse: common

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher: 3

White-breasted Nuthatch: several

Northern Mockingbird: several along Orleans Rd.

Eastern Bluebird: 2 along Orleans Rd.

American Robin: common

American Goldfinch: several

Cerulean Warbler: 12+

American Redstart: 6+

Worm-eating Warbler: 3

Ovenbird: 3

Brown-headed Cowbird: several

Chipping Sparrow: several

Eastern Towhee: common

Scarlet Tanager: 6

Northern Cardinal: common

Indigo Bunting: several along Orleans Rd.

Black Bear: one adult briskly pursuing a second smaller adult; possibly a male seeking to mate with a female?

Eastern Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) - 1

Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapne carolina) - 1

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National Fruit Road (June 10)

Northern Bobwhite: 3 calling from the orchard

Field Sparrow: 5+ in the orchard

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Allegheny Highlands Trail, near Corriganville, Md (June 2)

Turkey Vulture

Black Vulture: 1 near Pawpaw

Mourning Dove

Chimney Swift

Pileated Woodpecker: 1

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Great-crested Flycatcher

Red-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Cedar Waxwing

Tufted Titmouse

Barn Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Carolina Wren

White-breasted Nuthatch

Gray Catbird

Northern Mockingbird

Brown Thrasher

American Robin

American Goldfinch

Yellow Warbler: 5+

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Eastern Meadowlark: 3

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Eastern Towhee

Northern Cardinal

Indigo Bunting

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New River Wilderness Area (June 7-8): Hawk's Nest State Park (HNSP), Fern Creek Parking Area

(Lansing Road)

Turkey Vulture

Red-shouldered Hawk: 1 carrying a snake along Opossum Creek Rd.

Mourning Dove

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Great-crested Flycatcher

Acadian Flycatcher: several near FCPA

Red-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Cedar Waxwing

Tufted Titmouse

Barn Swallow

Carolina Wren

White-breasted Nuthatch

Gray Catbird

Northern Mockingbird

Song Thrush: several in HNSP

American Robin

American Goldfinch

Northern Parula: 1 HNSP

Yellow-throated Warbler: 1 HNSP

Black-and-white Warbler: 1 near FCPA

Swainson's Warbler: 1 singing near FCPA

Ovenbird: several at HNSP

Hooded Warbler: 2

Common Grackle

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Scarlet Tanager: 2 HNSP

Northern Cardinal

Indigo Bunting

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