Little Red Cottage & Little Blue Heron In Guilford

As I was standing at a town boat launch in Guilford  looking across the water and saw a little red cottage on a nearby island. There was something about the bold red color and rustic style that captured my attention. After asking around, I learned that it was located on Grass Island. I drove over to a Madison boat launch on the opposite side of East River. There was a path entrance that squeezed between private residences and led me along the edge of the island to the cottage. I guess it can't really be an island if I was able to walk there without my feet getting wet.

The shack was built in the 1930's and acquired by the town during the 1960's. It's just an empty shell now but a nice place from which to view birds. Apparently, this building has been the subject matter for many artists over the years.

On my way back to the boat launch I found a Little Blue Heron in the tall grass alongside the entrance road. 

In the same area and I was able to watch and adult Osprey feeding their recently hatched young.

 The East River area was loaded with  dozens of Willets and they sure are noisy this time of year!

Curious Barn Swallows hung around the docks near the boat launch.

This a marsh that is near shell beach in Guilford. There were about 40 Glossy Ibis, an equal number of Snowy Egrets, and several Great Egrets mixed in as well. I don't know why the egrets and Ibises like so much about this location  but I seem to find them here every summer. I couldn't get close to the birds because the marsh is surrounded by an electric fence. Last year when I touched my metal camera tripod to the fence it produced shocking results but unfortunately, not the kind of results I was looking for.

During the summer months I rely on inspiration to determine which path along the birding trail I will follow. This time it was the little red cottage that helped point me in the right direction.