Handsome birds

There were several of the wood ducks roosting in or busily feeding in the water around the snags at the marsh this morning. The three with red eyes are the males, with a female at the right.

Yellow on purple

The strong winds of Sunday and Monday bent over the common reed (phragmites) at the marsh. Yesterday both American goldfinches and yellow warblers were feeding in the reeds, which I haven't seen before. Perhaps the bent over stems were easier to perch on.

One lone grebe

I was very happy to see this little pied-billed grebe yesterday, as grebes have been few and far between this year at the marsh, which is unusual. There were at least three pair at the beginning of the season, and one of those pair I know nested, but something must have happened to them. I miss the juveniles, who would congregate at this time of the year and cavort about in the water.

See through damselfly

Here's yet another of the many damselflies seen around the marsh these days, perched atop a clump of wool-grass. It's body is almost translucent.

Another marsh garden plant

Another flower blooming in marsh habitats this time of the year is the Spotted Touch-me-not (named for the seed capsules that burst upon touch), aka Jewelweed. I noticed this one in a partially shady spot this morning, with the dew still present on its leaves and stems. The blossoms are a favorite of hummingbirds, and are frequented by bees and butterflies. Apparently the juice from the leaves and stems was used to treat poison ivy and other rashes by First Nations peoples.

Bees love yellow flowers

This is a close-up of the bur-marigold that is now in full bloom all around the marsh. If you look closely, there is a bee on the bud on the right, which I didn't notice at the time I took the shot.

Intent warbler

There were a number of yellow-rumped warblers about this morning at the marsh, although they seem to congregate in the area around the wood-duck nesting boxes and the adjacent woods, why I'm not sure. This one, a juvenile I believe, was busily foraging for insects along tree branches. (I added a poster-edges filter to sharpen the image.)

Watch where you step

This tiny (no more than two inches long) leopard frog leapt out of my way this morning when I was venturing off the trail to check the wood ducks. It's the first one I've seen in several weeks.

In mid-flight

The flat-topped white asters are coming into bloom at the marsh, and the bumble bees seem to gravitate toward them. I tried to get a shot of this bee on one of the clusters, but without success, so I used the burst function on my camera and caught it in flight.

Sad reminder

I don't like to see these Bur-Marigolds (Bidens) come into bloom at the marsh because it always reminds me that summer is coming to a close (it comes too soon for me). However, they do add a colorful note to the landscape. These flowers are also known as Sticktights or Beggars-ticks, as the seeds of the plant stick to clothing and animal fur.