For the first time I gave up and left the trail in the swamp, along the shores of the Potomac River, shortly after capturing these wonderful photographs of a Prairie Warbler. She/He was in a wonderful location, no obstructions, clear for focus and she moved around so I was able to get enough angles for a clear identification. Tiny birds like this often move fast and blend in with the leaves and bark, making them hard to spot and even harder to photograph. These are some of the best images I have captured in months. Then I was forced to turn tail and retreat to the car.
Forced to retreat, not by the birds, but by flocks of something much smaller. Mosquitos. It was about 70 degrees, it had been cloudy and damp for 2 or 3 days, and there was no breeze. Everytime I slowed or stopped I a cloud of mosquitoes descended on me. I often pick up one or two, but this was dozens at a time. I was run-out of the swamp for the first time. I will be back, a little bit of a breeze and the bugs stay away. Sometime in the next few weeks we will have a frost, giving me a few bug free moments.
How are the bugs by you? Bugging you?
I love warblers, such sweet little birds with nice songs.
ReplyDeleteBugs this year by me weren't bad at all compared to previous summers. And I often sit outside late. Even down along the Delaware River where they're usually bad, they weren't. It was a perfect summer for us all the way around.
I seldom sit outside. Within a couple of days the bugs diminished.
DeleteOften in summer I need to apply bug spray while I'm working in the garden, or get eaten alive. On summer nights, we'll get a rogue mosquito or two in the bedroom, terrorizing us in the night. I'm happy that the chilly weather is coming back because the mosquitoes go away.
ReplyDeleteI need to buy bug spray, I haven't used it in years.
DeleteDefinitely nothing like in your area, but annoying at times. I immediately thought of mosquitoes when I ready the word “swamp.” Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice trail, some days I am in the right place at the right time, see tomorrow's blog.
Deletepretty birdie! we have spotted lantern flies; apparently an invasive bug that kills trees. we have been told to squash them without mercy.
ReplyDeleteSquash away!
DeleteI stumbled across a hideous spider while working in the garden. Luckily, I muffled a scream ....
ReplyDeleteI was in an online meeting yesterday, and spider crawled across someone's keyboard, the person did not muffle the scream.
DeleteThe best thing for mosquitoes is to spray yourself with Deep Woods Off.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation, I need to keep something in the car.
DeleteWhat fantastic photos of this beautiful little bird. You captured it well. Sorry about the mosquitos. I would have done the same because mosquitos are so annoying. We don't see many mosquitos here where it is so dry but every now and then they show up.
ReplyDeleteThe bugs are usually not bad, the weather has to be just so for them to be bad.
DeleteStrange, but I haven't noticed any bugs around here lately. Even that Black Widow that guards our front door at night has disappeared. I'm afraid of all things spider except for Black Widows. They're non-aggressive and easy to eliminate (squash). Maybe the smoke is keeping them away or killing them off. I haven't squished a spider into my popcorn ceiling in months!
ReplyDeleteLove the little warbler. I, too, am sorry about the mosquitos. I am speaking as mosquito fodder myself. Balder Half says I get bitten instead of him because they like light meat :) I think I just have a tastier bouquet of blood.
My mother would get bit, ten times for every one time my father was. Fleas would flock to her and ignore him. Probably because you are extra sweet.
DeleteNah, I'm just a bigger target ;)
DeleteGreat photos, especially the last one.
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteHappily there are few if any mosquitoes here as it is too dry for them to breed
ReplyDeleteIt usually not bed here, a couple of days of the weather
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