Friday, July 29, 2016

Overheated Virginia Rail, and Babies at Home

[It's hot! This juvenile Virginia Rail takes a swim at the South Cape May Meadows, Monday, July 25 2016. Click to enlarge photos.]

The "heat dome," as some forecasters have called the current weather pattern, continues in the mid-Atlantic. Yesterday morning at 7:00 a.m. at the South Cape May Meadows, NJ it was already 80 degees and the humidity was an awful 99%. This hasn't stopped the southward movement of shorebirds, to be sure, and the water levels at the meadows are ideal for dowitchers, Stilt and Pectoral Sandpipers, &c.

Meanwhile, at home all the locals are bringing their families to the feeders and the water drip, including chickadees, titmice, cardinals, jays, and woodpeckers, including this baby Red-bellied Woodpecker, who lacks red on the cap:


The current thunderstorm raging outside might suggest some relief from an approaching front, but the frontal forecast suggests there is going to be some back and forth before the next high moves in to bring clearer and a bit cooler air earlier next week. Can't wait.

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