Mokka mit Schlag » Birding

Augochlora pura, Prospect Park 2007-08-19
Credit to John S. Ascher for the ID

I actually found this bee inside the flower, and snapped these shots as it was coming out.
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Last Sunday, August 12, Peter Dorosh led the Brooklyn Bird Club on a trip to Jamaica Bay where we had a probable Long-billed Dowitcher. Short-billed Dowitchers are relatively common around here at this time of year, but Long-billed are much less so. The problem is that unless the birds are in breeding plumage or calling, they’re virtually indistinguishable. For example, despite the names some Short-billed Dowitchers have longer bills than some Long-billed Dowitchers. Unfortunately at the times of year when the birds come through New York, they are neither calling nor in breeding plumage.

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Zabulon Skipper, Poanes zabulon
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2007-8-18
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Digger Wasp, Scolia dubia
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2007-8-18
Credit to Troy Bartlett for the ID
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Three Sanderlings and a Semipalmated Sandpiper were acting like Purple Sandpipers, feeding on the rock jetties at Riis Park this past Saturday. They were surprisingly unskittish around people, as witnessed by these closeups.
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Variegated Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, 2007-08-12