Highlights

Birds seen on the farm during 2023: 126 species; Last Hummingbird Oct. 2

July/Aug. had 3 weeks with 4 close encounters with black bears

Lilacs re-bloomed at the end of October

Butterflies seen:

• New:
  • Eastern Giant Swallowtail,
  • Variegated Fritillary (brought in chrysalis, released after it emerged late Sep. – host plant passionfruit! vs violets preferred by other fritillaries),
  • American Lady,
  • Painted Lady,
  • Mourning Cloak,
  • Viceroy
• Monarch: very few early but found caterpillars on some of the milkweed plants, no chrysalis though;  more in Sep./ Oct. but still sparse

Canada Geese:

• 7 pairs attempted to nest multiple times but only the New Island Family (NIF) hatched eggs this year.  Fox and mink destroyed all the eggs in the other nests, and the NIF nest was hit once but 2 of the eggs survived to hatching. In 2022 none of the geese successfully hatched any of their eggs.
• Waterfall Family (WFF) update – April 2nd was the last day Scooby (3 year old) was seen.  Prince Charming (PC = her mate) returned in June, stayed with Mom & Pop (WF2=parents) til molting completed and left with them.  Scooby didn’t return in the Fall, so fears confirmed she was lost trying to nest for the 1st time this Spring. WF2 nested in 3 locations and all the eggs were destroyed.