June was filled with love

June I turned my eyes from the thrill of May migration to see what birds/animals are sticking in this region of the Hudson Valley to breed. For me that means heading to the hills—the Catskills—and onto the water—the Tivoli North Bay. In the bay, I can report that the snapping turtles are doing well—more snappers floated about like lethal submarines than ever before. But the Least Bitterns—perhaps my favorite marsh bird—are here as well and by the end of the month I’d spied at least three different birds. Here’s hoping they meet and make bittern babies. And my hike on June 2 to the summit of Slide Mountain (the highest peak in the Catskills) also proved bird-rich: eleven Bicknell’s Thrush, one of the fussiest birds out there, were seen or, mostly, heard. Fussy because they breed only above 3,500 feet and only in habitat that has been disturbed by snow and ice. But they have loved the summit of Slide for decades now and here’s to many more years of Bicknell breeding. The other stunning news of June was my friend Peter reporting he had heard, seen, and photographed baby Saw-whet Owls, our smallest owl, and a first for Ulster County. Peter is a fan of the Saw-whet and his line, offered up early in my birding life, is one that I live by: to see saw-whets you have to believe in saw-whets. Isn’t that true of much of life? Like, to fall in love, you have to believe in love. Here’s to June love.

June 2 Hike up Slide Mountain. Eleven Bicknell’s Thrush seen/heard. Also a Ruffed Grouse exploded off the trail on my trip down, lots of Ovenbird sang the length of the mountain, as did Blackburnian, and Black-throated Green Warblers. A porcupine loitered by the side of the trail and a fawn emerged from the bushes in the parking lot.

June 3 Was my final Monday morning walk down Cruger Island Road as Ascienzo Naturalist in Residence with the Red Hook Library. A devoted crowd showed to listen to the lingering singers like Redstart, Yellow Warbler and Common Yellowthroat.

June 4 Morning paddle in the North Tivoli Bay and two American Bittern flew over.

June 12 I hung some of my bird boxes at a friend’s house in Syracuse, not expecting residents this late in the season but within days House Wrens had set up shop, bringing in nesting material and tossing out the cedar chips we had offered them.

June 17 Overnight in the Catskills near Andes where many Hermit Thrush sang through the night.

June 18 Heat hit—much too early in my experience—but that did not stop one Least Bittern from tip-toeing to the edge of the marsh.

June 20 Heat continued. Muggy. Two Least Bittern wander the North Bay on my morning paddle. Barn and Tree Swallows coast over the bays gobbling flies and other bugs. And the babies are out of the nest and just learning to fly.

June 21 A visit to Vlei Marsh, a Winnakee property in Rhinebeck where I’ve never seen so many baby Wood Ducks! A real treat.

June 22 Heat continued with thunderstorms.

June 25 A trip to the Cape and I get to spend time with baby Piping Plovers, which look like pom poms on sticks. The Cape was often home on summer vacation as a child so visiting old haunts was fun and let me spend time with Osprey carrying fish to their nests and Kingbirds flitting over ponds.

June 30 Micro burst storm takes out trees (and power) throughout my region.