June: Wild Flowers and Bugs...
And Lincoln's Sparrow, that was unexpected...
I have to admit, June is not my favorite month. I like to be outside and June can be challenging. The month starts with the blackfiles in full bloom and they are soon joined by mosquitos and Deer Flies. I have well honed strategies for working around the biting insects but they can be annoying.
From a photography perspective birds and other wildlife are harder to see and photograph. Many of the song birds go from broadcasting their locations from the treetops to doing their best to become invisible. And the abundant foliage provides plenty of cover. It’s green everywhere, punctuated by the wildflowers that are June’s primary offering. Even so, it’s a lot of green.
Recently, I paused along the edge of the Hitchens Pond Bog (headed in to Hitchens Pond Overlook) to take some pictures of wildflowers. A small bird caught my attention. Obviously a sparrow, the thought went through my head, “it’s only interesting if it’s a Lincoln’s Sparrow and what are the chances of that.” The Adirondacks lie at the very southern edge of the nesting range for this bird and the bog didn’t fit my mental model of “Lincoln’s Sparrow habitat”. These birds are secretive and, in the Adirondacks, uncommon. I’ve only seen this bird once before and it was darting through the undergrowth bordering a beach on Low’s Lake.
My first impression was swamp sparrow, but even at a glance that didn’t fit. So I dug out the binoculars and, drum roll, Lincoln’s Sparrow. The bird then inexplicably flew up onto a tamarack branch and posed, what are the chances of that? These are first good images I’ve gotten of this species and they are, I think, pretty good.
I’d ventured in along the same old road towards Hitchens Pond Overlook just three days earlier only to be driven back by clouds of mosquitos and a drenching thunderstorm. But this time, it all came together, the gods were smiling, leaving me to wonder, what are the chances of that?
Maybe the Burn Road trail in the Whitney wilderness. Or other places where the forest is young second growth, which I think is a good habitat type for grouse. Even so, recommending a specific place is a long shot.
But this would be a good time to look. The chicks are small and active and if you stumble onto a brood the hen will try to lead you away, as opposed to just flying off. Good luck.
Hear many grouse drumming this spring or see many broods in your travels? I am looking for an area with a good population to increase my odds of getting a few good photo opportunities. I am not a pro, just an avid amateur.