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Another Polistes paper wasp, and the most vibrantly colorful one seen in these parts: P. exclamans. Here’s another look at our P. dominula nest three days after the photos put up yesterday. Now for some ground yellowjackets. Vespula maculifons above. The gynes, females who mated last year, are now searching for places to start their…

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A European Paper Wasp/Polistes dominula has recently started a new nest. She has collected wood fibers to make pulp to make the paper combs of her nest. You can see several of the eggs she’s laid. The larvae will grow and pupate inside these chambers, then the new adult wasps will help make this nest…

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Robin’s egg blue…. Three American Robins flew out of the nearest of a cluster of ornamental apple trees, which made me glance through the trees for nests. This nest was in the next tree over. Since the nest was above my head, I lifted my phone up high and hoped for the best, picture-wise.

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Barn Swallows at Jamaica Bay. [Opps! I meant Tree Swallows!] [Thanks to those who alerted me to my typo.]

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Out of the corner of the eye, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird could be mistaken for a bumble bee or large carpenter bee. This is some kind of apple/Malus, with rather large flowers.

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A fair number of Osprey sightings at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Monday. Hard to get a count, what with the comings and goings, but I had a minimum of five separate individuals. That’s a lot of stick. Two nests are visible from the south-side trail at West Pond, but both of them had two…

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Yesterday, the great Blue Heron in Green-Wood’s Sylvan Water was showing off some impressive fishing chops. Today, it’s the Great Egret. Ah, but this was just the sushi appetizer. A few minutes later, something more substantial. Meanwhile, a close encounter: one of the huge Common Snapping Turtles approached the Great Blue. First time I can…

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