One wave of Tree Swallows left Plum Island and another wave came in,

This phenomenon was available to us for most of August.  The wonder of hundreds of thousands of Tree Swallows as a giant cloud in the sky can’t be adequately described or photographed or filmed.  You have to be there and do a slow 360 degree turn to appreciate this display.  Here are a few videos that will give you an idea of this phenomenon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6f4r7deJbk   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmWJWRCefCg  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU3dU3MdOOs  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEu5pkmjV_Y    And of course Plum Island yields a great variety of shore birds beginning in late August.  Here’s a Greater Yellowlegs in the marsh:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEEdS2ObwxY

  On Saturday morning, August 20, at Hellcat Trail, near the dike, there was a Yellow-crowned Night Heron.  It was a life-bird for me.

We’re used to seeing Black-crowned Night Herons around here – and I ran across an adult of the species in the marsh grass across from parking lot #1 that same morning as well as a juvenile along the water’s edge on the main road – but the Yellow-crowned was the day’s hit.  

And, for once, a Harrier Hawk, working the marsh near the maintenance shed, gave us a great look as it rose and dipped into the grass in its usual manner near the shed.

  Horn Pond in Woburn, sadly with the lowest water levels ever seen there, is, despite that, still attracting a great variety of shore birds.

There have been Sanderlings, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs,

and several varieties of Sandpipers, et al, and the regular suspects:  Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Green Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, Great Blue Herons, KiIldeer and Kingfishers, etc.

And for a couple of weeks a juvenile Little Blue Heron has been drawing birders and photographers.  This little one has been the Horn Pond rock star of the season.

It has been quite accessible and has given us lots of opportunities for photographs and video. Here is a video look at some Sanderlings near the Sturgis St. entrance to the pond:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDWQHhJh36w   Here are some videos of the Little Blue Heron in the lagoon near the victory garden:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPYnfyKvYzg   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp97fSLdyPY   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mH7fJ3s8fE 

  On Saturday, August 13th, photographer Kim Nagy and I enjoyed our third annual visit to Ray and Deb Cilley’s Alpacas at their Spring Pond Farm in Greenfield, NH.

(http://www.springpondfarm.com/ )     (https://www.openherd.com/farms/2295/spring-pond-farm )

Our visits there have become a favorite tradition.  On one of our visits to the farm, Ray, a pilot, flew over us and dipped his wings in welcome.

Alpacas are the serene, gentle cousins of the ill-tempered Llamas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQwHx6BD6qY  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F06N186s0tc https://www.youtube.com/watch?  v=obBvRPKqjDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dflmCqa2SR0

  The farm is an idyllic collection of lush green fields and corrals and barns with a majestic mountain view in the background.

We had waited for this visit until two babies, called crias, that were due were finally born.  The crias were named Polar Bear (the white one) and Onyx (the black one).

Kim and I were able to enjoy these new arrivals along with six-year-old Mari and her parents.  Mari was breathlessly excited following the Alpacas for the occasional touch and kiss. Every now and then little Mari would shriek  “I touched one” and raise her hands to the sky in a victory salute.  Her joy was infectious.

  There’s more to the Alpaca world than we thought, as we’ve learned the past three years.  There are Alpaca shows, to which Deb and Ray’s room full of awards will attest.

And there are stud fees for superior Alpacas much as there are for thoroughbred horses.  The Cilley’s are devoted to their Alpacas and delight in discussing the many aspects of raising them. The Alpacas are sheared every spring, usually, and Deb knits socks, hats, gloves, sweaters, vests and scarves, etc., from their wool which are available in their gift shop.

Alpaca wool is the best insulation in the world.  On the very coldest New England winter day Alpaca socks will keep you warmer than any other wool.  For Kim and me every visit to Spring Pond Farm is like a seminar in Alpaca lore.  One of the other features of Spring Pond Farm is their collection of chickens and roosters.  Of course we’ve all heard the rooster call in film and on TV but I had never actually witnessed a rooster calling until visiting Spring Pond Farm:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNn3ngOJB7A    Some of the chickens on hand have coloring that any bird of prey would be proud to have:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnUINREUT9g   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J-wlbQK7xs   Who knew there were so many varieties of chickens?

And Deb and Ray have beehives and produce their own honey:  http://youtu.be/3cqFHPAvSTI   As you explore the area around the farm you might discover riders on horseback, as Kim and I did when Deb gave us a tour on their RV:  http://youtu.be/Pue14fyW698  http://youtu.be/_4RbP7qOnzw

   The annual fall fair at Spring Pond Farm, The Wool Arts Tour ( http://wat2016.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/springpond.html ), is on Saturday and Sunday, October 8th and 9th. There will be vendors on hand with their crafts and for kids there will be hay rides and other surprises. Drive to Greenfield that weekend to experience the magic of the  Alpacas and say hi to Deb and Ray.  They will greet you with open arms!

  Labor Day has passed and fall migrants are beginning to filter in.  My first migrant, a Warbling Vireo, was at the Mystic Lakes early on August 30.  Let the games begin.