After the rain yesterday, and then the fog earlier this morning, many spider webs could be seen in the vegetation around the marsh. I found this sheet web built by a grass spider, with the funnel evident at one side where the spider lies in wait for its unsuspecting prey.
This shot was a response of my artistic side. I was struck by the contrast between the brightly colored Indian Pear leaf and the dull, wet alder leaves. The scattered Scots pine needles add interest to the composition. A reminder of the changing of the seasons, the impetus that impels migration and the preparation for winter among the wildlife that remains here.
When I was searching for the Wood Ducks yesterday, I caught a glimpse of a bird sitting close to the water's edge. A closer look through my binoculars revealed the tell-tale eye smudge of an American Wigeon, seen sleeping in the top photo above. (It's difficult to tell if it was a female or a male in eclipse plumage.) It soon became aware of my presence, and swam away - with its partner. Wigeons have been seen here in small numbers, usually at this time of the year.
These young Wood Ducks, mostly females, were grouped together in the dead trees yesterday. I also saw ten or more adults, females and males, some in full dress, perched in the dead trees and swimming among them. Last year, it was late October before they left for their wintering grounds in the southeast United States.
The woods are definitely quieter now since many of the migrants have departed, although there are still a fair number of Yellow-rumped Warblers about, and I saw one Yellow Warbler yesterday. This Blue Jay was one of two that I saw flying from one tree to another. He's seen here perched atop a Hawthorn tree.
While watching Yellow-rumped Warblers in a big clump of chokecherry trees, I heard the sound of something continuously falling through the leaves to the ground. I suspected something other than birds was in the tree. Sure enough, high on a branch was this little chipmunk, busily chewing on some of the chokecherries, spitting the flesh out, and filling his cheek pouches with the pits. When he had finished the job, he proceeded to wash his face! His mother brought him up right, apparently.
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This morning at the marsh was another fruitful day for bird sightings. The Yellow-rumped Warblers were especially evident. A small flock of Cedar Waxwings was flitting among the trees near the entrance to the trail, including this young one.
I was looking for Black Ducks when I spied two Wood Ducks, the male on the left and the female in the centre, perched in the dead trees. Then another male jumped up beside them. Finally, I thought, a male woodie in his full sartorial splendour. How beautiful.
Yesterday at the marsh there was still a fair number of birds evident. In the wooded section of the trail, close to the water, I found these two little birds common to marsh habitats: a Swamp Sparrow (top), and a female Common Yellowthroat (bottom).
This is a common sight at this time of the year, Starlings all lined up on the power lines. I'm reminded of a swarm of bees when I see them, whirling around the sky, forming and reforming their groups, pouring down into trees and then peeling off again. I watched this group for a while this morning. When other birds flew in to join the group, the ones sitting on the lines would all move down, one after the other, to make room for the newcomers.
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