Just in time for Mother's Day, the rain stopped Saturday afternoon and the sun came out, so we camped by the horse pasture-the first chance we'd had in two weeks.

The next day we went birding at the Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, naturally. What else would someone do on Mother's Day?

The Canada Goose goslings were older now

Red-winged Blackbird males were quarreling and chasing each other across the ponds

and cute little Spotted Sandpipers were skittering everywhere, not letting us approach closely. Perhaps they are breeding here now?
{{gwi:1365722}}From May 2009

Adult Green Heron fishing from breeding pond

Large female Common Map Turtle

By now the grass was high and while I was eying it suspiciously DB suddenly said he'd spotted an Indigo Bunting in a Sycamore Tree near our car. When I questioned him he said it was in the lower branches and looked "chubby," so I realized it was a Blue Grosbeak and decided to bird from the access rd loop where we'd parked instead of braving the ticks.

A Common Yellowthroat male was singing from the same Sycamore Tree
{{gwi:1365728}}From May 2009
{{gwi:1365729}}From May 2009

The male Blue Grosbeak was singing behind the tree but never gave me a photo chance, however I could see the female in the top branches
{{gwi:1365733}}From May 2009

A thick stand of trees a few yards away looked like American Redstart habitat, and I was right

As always, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher came by to see what was going on
{{gwi:1365739}}From May 2009

Directly above a male Indigo Bunting was singing in the top of the tree
{{gwi:1365740}}From May 2009

Until he spotted me
{{gwi:1365741}}From May 2009

What is that?

A curious male Yellow Warbler also appeared in a nearby tree

I could just see a Yellow-billed Cuckoo hiding in the leaves
{{gwi:1365800}}From May 2009

and it finally flew right past me, but I didn't get a photo

In a field of grass nearby a male Bluebird passed insects to his mate to feed their nestlings
{{gwi:1365802}}From May 2009

As we drove past a breeding pond, we saw another pair of Giant Canada Geese with their goslings

We stopped near the woods at the back of the property where I heard a male White-eyed Vireo. I took photos from the car window

A female Indigo Bunting landed nearby as well

We stopped in town to share a cup of chocolate ice cream, my daughter drove down from Lexington to join us in watching the new Star Trek movie before coming over to see our new shelter dog, and my son called from CA, so it turned out to be a great Mother's day