Gone again with May

Black-and-white Warbler

American Redstart

Yellow-rumped Warbler

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This is Not Happening …

Not here, anyway.

Not within the 30 square yards or so where most of this blog happens. 

Not in the rest of Ridley Township or Swarthmore Borough where Little Crum Creek flows.

And not, as far as I can tell, along Crum Creek from Swarthmore down to the Delaware River.

So far.

So, I traveled about an hour north up the PA Turnpike (I-476) to Green Lane Park in Montgomery County to meet a friend and track down Brood X before it’s “gone”.

Brood X is the generation of Periodical Cicadas (Magicicada) emerging en masse this spring. 

Feeding underground for the past 17 years, cicada nymphs are now surfacing to molt a final time (leaving old skin behind like shells), take wing, sing, mate, and produce a new generation of eggs.

Once hatched, new nymphs will find their way underground to resume the 17-year cycle.

How about you … happened to see a cicada lately?  I’d love to hear where!

Here’s some of what we found at Green Lane Park:

 

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Cool Resources

• Informative & Exciting Video from PBS NewsHour:
  https://youtu.be/HdV-V777JMA 
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• Interactive Description of a Cicada’s Life Cycle from The Washington Post
  (select “Allow audio” for cool sound effects!): 
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/interactive/2021/cicadas-lifecycle-brood-x/ 

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Chips with that

Hairy Woodpecker                             helps          chip          a          felled          tree.

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integrity:

fluid harmony of act and intention  —

quietly arriving Great Blue heron eyes.

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expected surprise:                    splash                    and a kingfisher’s cry

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An eager crowd

In April’s final days, a crowd of fish brushed clean some gravel.

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The most colorful, looking 4-7 inches long,

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dimpled shallow water 

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vying for spots to spawn.

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Recognize any of these fish?

I’d be happy for help identifying them!

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A Cooper’s hawk*

dripping creek

dries off.

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*ID sources note the challenge of differentiating an immature Cooper’s Hawk from an immature Sharp-shinned Hawk. I’m guessing this is a Cooper’s Hawk (distinct head crown, legs in profile thicker than I’d expect from a sharpie).  But I  could be wrong & welcome correction (that’s why I included multiple views)!

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A red-tailed hawk

reflects on little crum creek

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bright and young

among the trees                         coming up and down                         a japanese maple

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softly

hawthorn petals                    quicken                     maple shade

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