On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
It’s Albatrossity Monday!
I want to take just a minute to thank Albatrossity for faithfully sharing his gorgeous photos and his knowledge with us every week. Both are much appreciated!
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Albatrossity
Winter is dragging on; we had 50 mph winds and about a quarter inch of scratchy snow overnight after a day of screeching “blizzard warnings”. Tiresome. Just like the news. And the time change!
So I thought I should go back to some summer/fall pictures and get some color into today’s post. As you might recall, I traveled to Arizona in August last year, and then spent a couple of weeks in September and October traveling west. I shared some of those images earlier. That meant that some summer and fall images I collected here in Flyover Country went to the bottom of the file folder where I keep potential On The Road stuff. So I dug back into those, and found a few to share today.
Late summer can still be a busy time for bird parents, and this male Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) looks more than a bit worn out. Click here for larger image.
Dragonflies are definitely a visual summertime treat in these parts, and this Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) is a great example. In addition, his name sounds like he should be a superhero! Click here for larger image.
Last summer was a good time to see Twelve-spotted Skimmers (Libellula pulchella) locally, at least in my experience. I’m looking forward to seeing some again this summer. Click here for larger image.
Pollination is serious business, both for the pollinators and the pollinees. These busy bees found plenty of pollen rooting around in a thistle flower. Click here for larger image.
Next up we have a couple of birds who would like a spa day. If you watch birds quietly, you observe that they do spend a lot of time on self-care. This male Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) had a prodigious itch, apparently, but managed to reach that spot and give it a good scratch. Click here for larger image.
Speaking of scratching that itch, this Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) was doing a good job as well. Additionally, I like this image because it also shows a feature of this bird that is rarely visible, its pink crown feathers. Click here for larger image.
Stretching is also a popular activity on hot summer days. This male Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) did some wing and tail-stretching while guarding our backyard feeder. Click here for larger image.
One of our earlier fall migrant warblers, the Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) doesn’t go very far south. These guys winter in Mexico and Central America, and should be starting think about when to head back by now. Click here for larger image.
Blue-headed Vireos (Vireo solitarius), nee Solitary Vireo, travel even less far south that the warbler above. Many winter in the southeastern US, particularly Florida, and are also feeling that old zugunruhe right now. Click here for larger image.
And a fall roundup would be incomplete without a photo of a recently-fledged bird in its pristine plumage, so here’s a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) youngster to wrap things up. If you squint just right, you can even see hints of the red on its shoulders! Click here for larger image.
Don L
I do love these photographs. You are a terrific observer. We thank you.
Ten Bears
Blew a tree down on our almost new eMini
Not often see a dragonfly up close like that …
SteveinPHX
Great photographs. Neat to see that Red-shouldered hawk at that stage.
Trivia Man
The scissor tail is a fantastic picture
Albatrossity
Thanks, WG and all. I have said before that sharing these pictures here helps keep me sane as well! It’s a two-way street, for sure.
And if you need extra moments of Zen this morning, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has put together a compendium of the best bird videos submitted via eBird in 2024. It has some lovely sequences. So watch it now, or watch it later, whenever you need it most!
Betty
That hummingbird sure looks fierce as he protects the feeder.
KSinMA
Thanks—great photos. Loved the videos too!
martha
As usual, I love these photos! Thank you.
MCat
These pictures are marvelous. All of them. Dragonflies! I haven’t seen one in forever. Thank you so much for saving my sanity. I just love the hawk. Well I love all of them.
WaterGirl
@Albatrossity: That’s lovely! I will share that in a respite thread.
Chat Noir
@Albatrossity: Thank you! That was a great video. As are your pictures and captions!
stinger
Even though global warming has made our Midwest winters slightly milder and shorter than in my youth, I find them harder to deal with every year. As I can’t afford to spend three months in the south of France, Albatrossity Mondays will just have to do! Love the bees on the thistle, and the birds of color and grace!
Yutsano
Bee bum!
And that poor yellowthroat is wondering why he let her lay so many eggs.