Late last week I drove out to Marl Bed Flats. It has historically been my favorite place to look for shorebirds, but it has all but dried up, and the shorebirds are all gone.
I was hoping with all the rain we’ve had recently that things might change, so I gave it another shot. Still no shorebirds.
The highlight of the morning was a flyover Eastern Kingbird – it didn’t even have the decency to land in the park for a photo.
So I turned my attention to butterflies and other insects. If I were more devoted to butterflies, I suspect I would see far more than I do. I see lots of them but I’m usually too tired and sweaty to give them much attention. I photographed three butterfly species and one robberfly.
I also learned something new about checkered-skippers. I’ve seen Common/White Checkered-Skippers before (the two species are essentially identical), but I also saw a Tropical Checkered-Skipper. You can tell the difference between the two by the white spot on the wing that is past the dark bar on the forewing.
Just in case you might be interested in my slow morning of birding, here’s my eBird checklist for the morning.
Scott Simmons
Scott Simmons, based in Florida, is a lover of nature, landscape, and wildlife photography. Scott became interested in photography in 2001 when he was given his first SLR camera. When he acquired a telephoto lens, he became progressively more interested in birds and other wildlife. Scott enjoys learning about bird habitats and behavior, striving always to take images that are both beautiful and interpretive. Scott believes photography is a great vehicle to help others to appreciate the wonder for the stuff of earth.
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