Sunday, June 12, 2011

Rainy Birding at Griggstown Grasslands

Yesterday I was at Griggstown Grasslands on a rainy day. The bird activity was somewhat subdued, but it picked up when the rain stopped. I did not see or hear any Grasshopper Sparrows or Bobolinks there. In one of the back fields I heard a Northern Bobwhite call a few times. In the same area, a Willow Flycatcher and a Savannah Sparrow were singing. I had not realized that Savannah Sparrows were present at that site in the breeding season. The rest of the birds were typical old field species, like Field Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, and Blue-winged Warbler. A couple Orchard Orioles and a Baltimore Oriole were scolding pretty loudly along one of the trails. I probably would not have noticed the latter's nest if she had not called my attention to it by scolding.

Very few butterflies were active. One very dark skipper, which I did not managed to photograph, may have been a Common Sootywing. I also saw a Least Skipper (above) and Zabulon Skipper (below).

A few moths were active as well. Most were crambid grass-veneer types, but this Faint-spotted Angle (Digrammia ocellinata) sat in the middle of the path for me.