Gone Birding

Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day and we decided to go to the wetlands trail at Raccoon Creek State Park. We were rewarded with many first sightings of the year: a Bluebird, several tiger swallowtails, Yellow Warblers, Catbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds (not really a first since they hang around our yard right now), a Baltimore Oriole, and a snapping turtle (the first ever for me). I tried in vain to get a good photo of a warbler but they never sat still. We had a great time anyway. When we spotted what looked like a log in the pond a passing couple informed us that it was a snapping turtle. It still had all kinds of plant debris on its huge back.
We love the wetlands, except after a heavy rain because the trail does get wet. From spring till fall there is always something new to see there. Besides birds, there are numerous wildflowers, butterflies and other insects and in early summer the bullfrogs provide a noisy concert.