This episode picks up 24 hrs after Episode 5…. Needless to say I was worn out, but exhilarated, after all of my time at the nest the previous days. I knew that I would kick myself if I didn’t get up and get back to the nest to see what was happening… So away I went again before sunrise. It was a slightly foggy misty morning.

I arrived at my spot, set up, and immediately zoomed in on the nesting site… and was instantly happy that I had made the trip! Right next to the resting crane on the nest…

This morning I went to Bullitt again…. It was very foggy/hazy when I arrived. Good temps - low 50’s, no wind. It started a little quieter than I would have anticipated - but I was committed to keep at it. As I slowly made my way around my first loop a beautiful Cedar Waxwing decided to land in this gorgeous spot -

I then heard the unmistakable beautiful song of a Common Yellowthroat. I finally spotted it in the fog and haze singing away.

There are mornings and then there are mornings… I hope you enjoy this morning’s outing as much as I did - except for the mosquitoes! I thought that the sunrise might be something special as the forecast was for smokey skies and often that makes for dramatic early morning skies. However, as I drove to Bullitt this morning it just seemed like it might turn out to be hazy…

This is not a Sandhill Crane post…there will be more but not today. This morning I went to the Edge Hill Conservation area in Ashfield - another spot that I love. Temperature was perfect - 44 degrees and no wind. Once the sun came up the sky was either cloud filled or full on sun - there was no in between this morning. I was having a very hard time getting any good looks at all of the wonderful birds singing and flitting around. They were enjoying teasing me and staying behind leaves etc. I kept at it and finally found a spot that I thought might bring me some luck.

The sun sure rises early this time of year! It certainly helps me get up and out the door a little after 4am knowing that not only I am wondering what will be happening at the nest, but also knowing so many of you are wondering the same thing! Thanks so much for your texts, emails, VMs and posts - I really appreciate knowing that you are enjoying following along with this truly remarkable family at the nest…

Please sit back, exhale, and I hope that you enjoy this episode.

Picking up where we left after Episode 3 - As planned, I went back to the swamp in the afternoon that same day. Of course since I left the swamp in the morning I was wondering, like all of you, if I would find a chick and the egg or 2 chicks when I returned. I arrived around 2:30 and hoofed it to my spot as quickly as I could. While walking through the woods my Merlin app was identifying all of the warblers I could hear but not see… black and whites, chestnut-sided, magnolias, yellows…

You guessed it - I was up very early to head back to the nest to arrive well before sunrise.. This was Mother’s Day morning and there had been a light frost in Ashfield. As I drove up past the various streams and wetlands fog and mist was rising - I absolutely love these mornings.

As soon as I arrived at the back of the swamp I could see that I would have to find a slightly different tree to set up against. They are certainly confined to their nest but when they are resting on it at a slightly different angle it totally changes how I can peek into their world.

Still the same afternoon as Episode 1… it was all too good to be true so I knew I would be staying as long as I could. I decided I would leave once the nest was in shadows from the setting sun - at that time it would definitely mean it was time for me to hoof it back through the woods to get to my car.

I honestly cannot believe how many opportunities I had with this parent and little one! In years past the nest was more hidden within the grasses and cattails -

I am going to do a series for you called House of Feathers - location - on the nest. Who needs Netflix when the Sandhill Cranes are on the nest? :). I hope this series will warm your hearts….

Episode 1

Each year I count the days as the time approaches for the possibility of success at the crane nest… It is always right around Mother’s Day. The week leading up to Mother’s Day was rain, rain and more rain so I did not go as soon as I normally would have.

I had not planned on going to the Sandhill Crane nest on April 11th because the forecast was for rain in the morning. But …. I woke up early and looked out the window to see everything coated in a gorgeous coating of snow! About an inch had fallen and stuck like glue to every possible surface - even in the darkness I knew if it didn’t melt this would be my chance to finally see snow on the nest… I immediately checked to see if the roads were in good shape for driving and they were so I hurried as fast as I could to get my gear and get ready.

Thank you for coming along on my adventures in Westerly, RI - I so appreciate sharing the beauty of this very special place with all of you. This post is from my last morning outing. I was up extra early - I wanted to be in place back at that special cove well before sunrise. As I walked out on that path it was so alive with birdsong - it was so beautiful to hear all of our feathered friends belting out their songs!

Temperature was once again perfect….

The second morning in Westerly I left a little later because some big thunderstorms rolled through the area. I obsessively checked my weather app until I saw that the lightening had moved out and then I immediately was out the door and on my way. There was only a light mist for part of the way and by the time I got back to the cove - there was no mist and everything was perfectly still - the pond was light glass. There are mornings like this where honestly you wouldn’t know if you were looking at the sky or the water because the water is so perfectly reflecting the sky -

I realized after I made yesterday’s post that I had a few more early morning shots for you. These are from right after I left the cove and was heading back.

I have never seen or heard so many Willets as I did on this trip. Just as I was leaving the cove I heard more Willets and was trying to locate them when all of a sudden …..I scored!

I just spent 3 1/2 incredible days in Westerly, RI that were honestly more than I could have hoped for - wow! The weather was absolutely perfect - each morning was in the mid-50’s with no wind and no bugs biting me. Each morning I went out to the same area because I totally scored on the first morning and felt like there were no reason to look any further for another spot. I walked directly east out on a sandy path with the ocean on my right and Quonochontaug Pond on my left.

This is in the category of … you never know what you might see on any given morning! The birdsong is definitely picking up a lot… which is really heartwarming to hear. I decided I would go up the steep area first and work my way towards the northeast corner where I have been wanting to explore. I wanted to be up in that area before sunrise to figure out where to be when for my next outings over here. Dawn’s chorus was getting louder but I still couldn’t spot any of our feathered friends as the lighting was still not quite light enough for me to see what I was hearing…

Yesterday morning I went to the North Meadows in Old Deerfield to see if the green herons had arrived yet… nope! It is so nice to head out in the morning trying to locate new Spring arrivals…. I have been seeing some reports of green herons in our general area and thought it was worth a shot at the ponds at the North Meadows but no dice.

The sunrise was glorious with great temps around 38 degrees and no wind…

Yesterday morning I spent time at another swamp - this one borders Conway and Ashfield. It was a gorgeous April morning - 35 degrees and no wind. As soon as I started out I heard more birdsong than I have so far this year - it was wonderful. As I went around a corner I saw this gorgeous silhouette of a barn swallow. I thought to myself, another swamp - another show!

This morning I went to Bullitt for a short wander around - beautiful temps with no wind. I have only four shots to share this morning… but wow! I was doing my usual loop around Bullitt listening to the birdsong when I heard a beautiful song that I have heard before but couldn’t place… who was singing such a beautiful song??? I kept making my way towards that beautiful song …. and then way up at the top of the larch tree I saw the constant flitting around of a kinglet!

I knew by the calendar that the cranes should be on the next by April 10th as they have been each year since I have had the pleasure of watching them. It is truly amazing that this pair flies to this farm and swamp to mate and then is on the nest by April 10th - that just totally amazes me. As I have mentioned before each pair mates for life. Sandhill cranes have beautiful courtship and mating rituals which include dances, flapping of their wings, and unison calls. Unison calls are used to strengthen their bond to one another and to mark their territory. I get chills when I hear these unison calls.

This post is not an April Fool’s Day joke! This all really happened…

I arrived at Silvio with a sky filled with clouds. The forecast was for the sun to pop through shortly after sunrise. The temp was right around 32 degrees. I started the loop going clockwise like I usually do. I kept wondering how far I would get before the puddles would be too deep - well, it didn’t take long at all. I have good waterproof boots but the depth of the first puddles would have been too much even for my boots- so I turned around to try the loop counter clockwise.