Prescott Peninsula yesterday and remnants of tropical storm Bill this morning

Ruby throated Hummingbird on nest, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, June 20, 2015

Black billed Cuckoo, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, June 20, 2015

Purple Finch, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, June 20, 2015

Black capped Chickadee, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, June 20, 2015

Wild Turkey, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, June 20, 2015

Moose, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, June 20, 2015

Moose in marsh, New Salem, MA, June 20, 2015

I spent part of a cool Saturday morning conducting field surveys on the permit only Prescott Peninsula at Quabbin. Just a little before entering the gate there I ran across a bull Moose feeding in a small marsh and managed to get a few shots (I had one more Moose once inside the gates). Lots of bird breeding activity with birds carrying food, feeding young and sitting on nests. My best find of the morning was a Ruby throated Hummingbird sitting on a nest. I was watching some other birds and noticed a female hummingbird flying around group of pines like she was either feeding or waiting to get back to a nest. As I watched her move around she settled right into a nest situated about 25 feet up in a pine. One of only a handful of Ruby throated Hummingbird nest I have found. The views through the scope were fantastic and I look forward to checking the progress of the young as the season goes on. The number of cuckoos around continues to impress and at one point I had three Black billed Cuckoos in sight as well as a Yellow billed Cuckoo called in the background.

Today was quite raining as the remnant of Tropical Storm Bill moved through to our south. The storm hit the Texas coast several days ago and then moved north before heading our way and then out to see. No chances for storm driven birds with this storm and it is getting a bit late in the season for migrants to be grounded by the foul weather so not much to report today.  Thankfully the rain stopped by the afternoon and it cleared up so we could take Wilson for a walk.