If you know what the bird in the photo is, good for you!

It’s a migrant. I only see this species over the Museum in the spring and fall, and there’s usually only ONE that I do see each season. They typically circle the Wetlands once or twice and move on. It’s an Osprey.

On Saturday (4/2/11) I saw the first swallow of the season, a Northern Rough-winged Swallow. There have been many other swallow sightings in our area, but this rough-winged was the first for the Museum this spring.

Rough-wings nested nearby last year, I would see one on a regular basis over the Wetlands. They’re not colonial nesters like the other local swallows, but they will nest in close proximity to others of their kind, or even with other swallow species, if nest sites are available for them. They nest in tree cavities, holes in rock or brick walls, pipes, or just about any other cavity large enough for them to squeeze into.

Just stopping by for a meal and drink of water on Saturday (4/2) was a Swamp Sparrow.

Swamp Sparrows nest in or near, you guessed it, swamps or marshes. Do Swamp Sparrows nest at the Museum? We do have a swamp of sorts at the Museum, but I haven’t seen any evidence of these rufous-winged sparrows nesting here. I think that the Swamp Sparrows may prefer a swamp with cattails and other dense marsh grasses in which to nest. It is, however, nice to see them during migration.

And finally, the water snake that appeared on March 19, disappeared for about a week due to cool weather. It was back on station on 2 April.

Good luck 1287!