Caps Ridge Trail, The Cornice, Mt. Jefferson, Bicknell's Thrush!, Independence Day

[forestgnome]

young bull on the Kancamagus at sunrise...







comerant(?) on Saco Lake...






butterflies and orange hawkweed up in Jefferson Notch...






Bicknell's Thrush on Caps Ridge Trail...






First Cap on CRT...






rare mountain heath...






mama moose at sunset...






her yearling female calf...






happy trails

[JimS]

That butterfly shot is really sharp, but the most impressive one you got there is the Bicknell's Thrush.

For those not familiar with the bird, it is a threatened species of songbird that nests only on the slopes of high elevation mountains in NY, NH, VT, ME and Canada. It is a rare site, and a tough capture...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicknell%27s_thrush

[Tim&Val]

Wow! Beautiful as always! Just for my own birding education, how can you tell it's a Bicknell's Thrush? Many of the Thrushes look the same to me, especially when we're in the woods. We can usually say "Oh, there's a Thrush!" but no closer than that on the ID.

And does he have a big bug in his beak????

Valerie

[Tim&Val]

I think that your butterfly is an Atlantis Fritillary. In my "Butterflies of New England" book, it even names Orange and Yellow Hawkweed in the list of flowers that it uses for food.

V

[Steve M]

The butterfly is awesome but I always enjoy your pics of the moose and how close you get to them.

[KD Talbot]

Outstanding as always, FG. As I mentioned before, too bad we missed each other up there!

For those interested in the Bicknell's Thrush here is another link which should help identify them. FG was on a count earlier this spring. When it comes around again next spring I'll make sure something gets posted on this forum.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAbou...dtl.html#sound

KDT

[forestgnome]

Valerie, sorry, I just noticed your question about what is in the thrush's beak. It was grass or twigs of some sort.

happy trails

[Brad]

Valerie, sorry, I just noticed your question about what is in the thrush's beak. It was grass or twigs of some sort.

happy trails

See? He is bribing the animals again.