With the weather looking rather ominous, I decided to stay close to home and bird two of my favorite local haunts….Mine Road and Bear Mountain.

The Bashakill is an incredible wetland habitat serving as a home or stop-over for many various species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians as well as spectacular flora.

Like clockwork, when the Kentucky Derby weekend arrives, we can expect to see our first Rose-breasted grosbeaks of the season. They’ll stick around for a week or two, and then move on, continuing their journey north.