Sunny, mild in the
mid 70s, calm
A perfect day following our
storms of yesterday. As I
mentioned in yesterday’s entry, Sharon and I revisited Kenridge Farm today for
a follow-up day of birding. Once
again, our favorite bird of the day was the Merlin which was still on site. As
he did yesterday, he made several low high-speed passes as we watched with
awe. What a spectacular bird. Once again, he was faster than I was
and I did not get a shot. I will
return this week with that one goal in mind, however. Hopefully the bird will still be around.
In addition to a good
many species we found yesterday, today’s best shots go to two common dwellers
in the fields of New York. The
first is the Black and yellow garden spider. A good sized spider, this individual did not look
exactly like the garden spiders I have found in the past, and so, this photo
and id is subject to review. If
and when I find out a positive id which differs from the one I offer here, I
will update this entry and set the record straight. For now, it’s a Garden spider whether it wants to be one or
not.
 |
| Dorsal view |
 |
| Ventral view |
The next photo of interest is
of the Praying mantis. A master of
camouflage, the green coloration of this insect allowed it to blend in so well
that I had to examine the spot where I first saw it carefully to make sure it
was still there. It’s ability to
hide in among the foliage of the vegetation allows it to lie in ambush, waiting
for some unsuspecting insect to wander in too close before it is too late. If necessary, the mantis will pursue
its quarry, but it prefers to simply grab a bite as it walks by. Fascinating insect!
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