The lily pads at the Smithfield Plantation bog are just starting to blossom.
bogs
Bog visitor
Another local inhabitant cruises the bog for food. This is probably a savannah sparrow but I am still researching. His distinctive belly color pattern should help me narrow it down.
Blackbird in the bog
I had a very productive weekend. We ended up capturing a pleasing variety of birds. Here we found a red-wing blackbird at the Smithfield Plantation bog. Every year they endlessly survey this swampland for food.
Robin at the top
This robin first appeared at least a 100 yards away. I was able to take his picture with reasonable quality before moving closer. Once I was there, the two previous postings of a blue jay and cardinal was made possible.
A cardinal drops by
From yesterday’s visit to the upper bog, the second of our colorful bird visits.
Bluejay perch
Our visit to the upper bog today allowed us to catch images of a bluejay, robin, and cardinal.
Local mallards upstream
Here are the mallards who are making the nearby creek their home this spring. I don’t see them on every walk around the bog but they appear regularly in various spots. They do not seem to be as nervous when we approach as some other birds in our neighborhood.
Woodpecker tree 2
This may have been someone’s front door.
An upper bog view
A view of the upper bog, a part of the area converted from forest to bog by a group of beavers twenty years ago. This area is drying out quickly after a modest rainy season this spring.
Plantation bog
View from the bog spur trail on the Smithfield Plantation conservation land in Maine.
john's f-stop 