Ventured out to a NW Gate this morning. Fog was fairly heavy when I started hiking.

Hiking along this thing caught my attention.

Clearly fell out of the cavity in the tree above it.

This is a Barred Owl Chick. Still many weeks from being a fledgling. As much as I wanted to help I would have let nature take its course.

 One of the adult Barred Owls was overhead keeping a watch on things.

The Scarlet Tanger  on the title page made for a nice way to end the morning
Jim

A Liitle Warm!

No complaints, better than snow.
I took a vacation day and put some miles on at a Northeast Gate., The Blue Heron above made for a nice photo.

This White Warbler singing his tune!

No shortage of turtles. They were everywhere enjoying the sun.

Jinn

This porcupine made  for an interesting morning.

This beaver swam pretty close before.....

 

Warblers where everywhere,

This mink provided one quick pic.

End the morning with A Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker

Jim

The bull moose  above literally stepped out twenty five feet in front of me ! Keeping extremely still and my face behind the camera present a few pics. His head just about filled the camera frame.

Thinking things couldn't get any better. I found this Osprey  perched watching over a Quabbin swamp. This is the first Osprey I have seen in the boundaries of Quabbin''


Jim

BeautifulMorning To Be Swamp Sitting

Appear to be a pair of Ring Necked Dusk. The stayed pretty elusive !

On my hike out this Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker was hammering the tree along with being vocal.

Hi efforts paid off! Wasn't long before a female showed up.
Jim

The Quabbin swamp I visited was full of life.  Listening to the peepers was a sure sign spring has arrived. Just a week ago there was still a lot of ice cover. Now ( pictured above)  the turtles are enjoying the warmth of the sun,

Otter kept  me on my feet trying to get a picture.

Wood Ducks were flying in and out. None offered a close caption.

Jim

Eagles Were Plentiful

A beautiful morning to sit along the shoreline  in anticipation of something flying by.

I certainly didn't expect this to happen! Not one one hundred feet from where I was sitting a immature eagle landed on the shoreline on the back side of a small bush.

The eagle new something was up with the first picture. It didn't take long before it took to the air.

Once it flew into the sun light I was able to get a few decent pictures,
It didn't take long before a couple of Honkers tested me with a BIF picture.

Jim