Northern Thallophaga (Thallophaga hyperborea) moths seem to be relatively common around here. I learned to recognize them consistently last year, noticing them starting in late April in 2012 and mid-April this year. I saw them through the 19 June last year, though I’m not sure if that is typical, since it was a pretty chilly late May and June.
Larva are said to feed on conifer needles.
So far I’ve only photographed three Mottled Gray Carpet (Cladara limitaria) moths, last year (and now) in April, and one in late May back in 2008.
Based on photos I’ve looked on Moth photographers group, this species is fairly variable, but the 3 I’ve seen have all been fairly similar – especially the ones from the last couple of years.
Around here the caterpillars probably eat conifer needles.
I walked through the park on my way home after class this morning. I didn’t see much in the way of migrants, but I did manage to catch a first year Glaucous Gull – the first of those I’ve seen this year. I was also interested to note that most of the gulls at the park were Thayer’s Gulls. I imagine they will be headed out soon.
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The 21 April show featured a conversation with Laura Kaltenstein.
Photo of Fern-leaf Goldthread which was mentioned on the show.
If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up for that purpose.
This morning’s walk didn’t yield any photos, though I did see 5 yellowlegs – I thought a mix of Greater and Lesser, but I didn’t see them well enough to be sure. However, I did not find yesterday evening’s Black-bellied Plover. Like yesterday, there were still quite a few waterfowl out at the river mouth – mostly Mallards, but also some pintails, Green-winged Teal, and the usual assortment of goldeneyes and Bufflehead.
This evening I took another brief trip out to the end of the park while Connor and Rowan were filling buckets of seaweed at Sage Beach for Connor’s garden. I managed to catch a lone Bonaparte’s Gull hanging with some Mew Gulls.
The blueberry flower photos were from a plant growing along the beach side of Lincoln Street that is not much longer for the world, as that area will be soon torn up for the sea walk now under construction. In the end it will make for a nicer walk from downtown to Totem Park, but some plants and such will be sacrificed. In any case, I thought the flowers were rather nice in the cloud-filtered evening sunlight.
I managed to get some mediocre pictures of a very yellow Pine Siskin in the yard today. Also, it’s coming into the main shorebird migration time of year, but I came up empty on my morning walk through the park. I did see my first-of-spring Black-bellied Plover on a shorter walk this evening. It may have been there this morning as well – I tried to be thorough but the tide was out and I had a limited amount of time.
