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Birdsong & Butterfly joy

May 16 2016 Mason Pond Evening
I spotted these two sitting on top of a very precariously thin light post. These two were communicating while watching the water carefully. This was just a very fortunate moment.
I decided to take a very long trip to a preserve I have wanted to visit. Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve is another of the extraordinary natural places that The Nature Conservancy owns. It is magical and marvelous in every way. The greatest reward though is getting to the 213 foot waterfall overlook. Truly spectacular as you can hear the roar as you get closer.
She was watching me as I checked the nest box that he brood of eggs was inside of.
This was taken at the Deep Cut and Unfinished Railroad area of the Manassas Battlefield National Park. This Flicker won a fight with another and claimed this treetop.
This is the same mother wren watching me check her nest box full of eggs except now she is ready to launch. Timing and circumstance conspired to help me capture this moment.
George Mason University is fortunate to have Mason Pond which attracts waterbirds of all kinds. There are two blue herons and several green herons that make a regular home here. This is one of those wonderful moments that I was able to capture one of the blue herons.
Phoebe - Washington National Forest
It was stunning against the backdrop of the forest at Sky Meadows State Park.
May 16 2016 Mason Pond Evening (5)
This is one of the white-throated sparrows that foraged silently at the Belmont Bay shoreline at Mason Neck State Park.
I kept hearing a raucous around my friend's carport. She is surrounded by farms and mountains in the Shenandoah Valley. After taking time to follow its path - I discovered there was a nest it kept flying back and forth from--it was trying to distract all manner of predators.
At Mason Pond at the George Mason University Fairfax Campus are a wonderful land of varying species of bird. There is a at least one Red-winged male and female pairing which are nesting in the cattails there. They often vocalize and he sits watching out for any predators while she hunts.
Grasshopper Sparrow on the edge of a grassland field
This wonderful little Fiery Skipper was sipping the nectar from this flower. I got almost ten pictures of this beautiful butterfly on different parts of the flower. This picture captured best the extraordinary color contrast between the orange and purple.
The Deep Cut area of the Manassas National Battlefield is a beautiful grassland expanse where the bees, grassland birds and butterflies congregate. There were well into 30 or more Common Buckeye butterflies as well as American Painted Lady butterflies and a significant population of pollinating bees and wasps.
I was conducting a bird survey in one of my favorite locations where the birds and butterflies are plentiful in both numbers of variety. This was one of those moments where timing is perfect.
Upperville Virginia is the location of an amazing and beautiful sight each evening. Hundreds of vultures both black and turkey converge to roost together as a community for the night. I was fortunate enough to capture this particular group as they were quietly settling in together at the highest reaches of the tree. There was profound order, civility and a sense of community among all of them but this group captured my attention because they were peaceful and at peace.
Mason Pond Heron copy
These are fierce and beautiful warbling warriors. I always enjoy seeing them when I monitor bluebird nest boxes at Sky Meadows State Park.
A lucky moment when this butterfly decided to rest and spread its wings.

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