Outdoor adventures abound.

A recent outing to Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge provided a wonderful opportunity to capture photos of a mixed flock of semiplalmated plovers and semipalmated sandpipers feeding on the flats.

Often you’ll not see these tiny critters until you walk up to within a few feet of them. Then they break from cover … just a few pebbles that camouflage them from easy view. A view of an American bald eagle perched near the shoreline provided a fine farewell upon leaving the refuge.

A cardinal from my backyard and a wild cucumber and a mallard duck that appears to be clearing its throat seen at Essex Street Marsh round out this offering.