This is just looking for an excuse to run this insane photo by Dennis Cheeseman again.

This DeKorte Park Groundhog just keeps getting better and better looking.

Besides, we don’t run enough Groundhog photos.

Seen in one of its usual spots, in the water to the left of the Turnpike’s Exit 15E sign. This is the 26th day in a row it has been seen.

Ray Duffy writes:

On Sunday morning, I got the Semipalmated Sandpipers lining the driftwood at Mill Creek Marsh.

In their midst, I found one with a Semipalmated Sandpiper with a yellow leg flag.  I’ve sent in the report to USGS, I’ll let you know if I get info on the bird.

(Thanks, Ray!  The goal for photographers now is to get a photo of a young banded Peregrine going after a flagged Semipalmated Sandpiper.)

A few folks were wondering what was our best Butterfly Day in terms of total number of species.

The answer: 2012, with 21 species.

Here are the links to the full lists for all five years:

2014 (19 species)

2013 (14 species)

2012 (21 species)

2011 (15 species)

2010 (16 species)

Composite five-year list follows. Guess how many species total! Continue reading →