Stephanie Swanzey writes:

I wanted to share some pictures I took today of a white-eyed vireo.  Saw it this afternoon at around 12:45 between markers 13 and 14.

(Thanks, Stephanie!)

While visiting Shelter Island last weekend, I found the above Eastern Box Turtle shell next to the driveway at the place I was renting.

There are two mysteries:

How did it die and end up like this?

How did it get on an island surrounded by salt water?

In honor of Giselle Smisko's captivating owl presentation at the Fyke meeting on Friday night, I present this challenge.

The photo was taken last weekend on Shelter Island. American Crows and Blue Jays were mobbing the owl.

That wasn't too hard, was it?

On Monday I wrote:

When bigtime birders see the cover of my upcoming book, "The Real James Bond," they immediately speculate as to what kind of bird's head adorns the nattily attired human body.

I've had a couple of suggestions already.

What do you think?

More about "The Real James Bond" here.

Two expert birders had offered their I.D.s before I posted. One thought it was a Flameback Woodpecker from Asia. The other said it was a Cuban Green Woodpecker. Carol Flanagan thought it was a Cuban Green Woodpecker as well. (Thanks, Carol!)

I think it is most likely another species of woodpecker, going undercover.

If you get a chance to go to Shelter Island way out east on Long Island, don't miss The Nature Conservancy's 2,000-acre Mashomack Preserve, which takes up a good chunk of this old-fashioned island and includes one of the most picturesque meadows I've ever seen. 

 Informative Visitor's Center. Lots of birds, including Wild Turkeys, Ospreys, Great Egrets and migrating warblers.

Lots of migrating Monarchs and a few Common Buckeyes, too.

You can read more about the 2,000-acre preserve and 11 miles of coastline here.