Extra Day

Today is Labor Day so I was able to sneak in one extra morning visit to the park. Apparently all the wildlife was also on holiday as I saw barely anything of interest. I have noticed over the course of the summer that the Egrets are in much smaller numbers than last year. I think the most I saw at one time this year was 2 or 3 compared to groups around 15 last year. I wonder if their numbers are being affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. About the only thing I saw a lot of today were Bumblebees. They are everywhere on the bright yellow flowers -which I think are Goldenrods. I actually don't remember seeing so many of these yellow flowers in years before. Maybe that is due to all the rain we've had this year. The timing is certainly right though as referenced on Wikipedia: "In Midwestern states in the mid-twentieth century it was said that when the goldenrod bloomed, it would soon be time to go back to school—the blossoms appeared in mid- to late August, shortly before the traditional start of school on the day after Labor Day."

Wood Duck

The woods are really starting to thin out now and you can see much further through the trees. Things that I've never noticed before are now in plain sight like this huge beehive just a few feet off the wood chip trail. Not much wildlife seen this day but at one of the small ponds near the baseball fields I spotted this big group of Ducks. There in the middle was just one male Wood Duck among about 25 other Mallards. I didn't think they associated with each other but apparently they do. The Wood Duck however was constantly being harassed by a few of the Mallards. As they chased him back and forth, the whole group just getting closer to me so I snapped a ton of pictures. The fairly sunny sky really showed off his bright colors and iridescent green-blue-purple head. After a while he ended up only just feet from me.

Colorful Morning

Lots and lots of Butterflies and insects out this morning. Almost all of them in the same area on the south side where wildflowers seem to be taking over the field. Spotted this Tiger Swallowtail right away on some flowers of his own color. The "touch-me-not" plants are attracting just about every kind of insects with their small orange flowers. Bumble bees actually crawl right inside them but I couldn't get a photo as they are too quick.







Near the ball fields on the east side I spotted a face in the woods. This was the same place where I saw the Doe and Fawns pop out from.

Back on the south side the turtles were sunning themselves in the creek.
Later, I got a better opportunity for a Bumble Bee pic.

Summer Buzz

Landscape is now changing from plain old green to multicolored. Lots of wild flowers like these purple ones which seem to blossom from the bottom upwards. They are strikingly vibrant despite their small size. Still lots of thistle growing everywhere attracting all sort of insects like this Bumble Bee. On the North side I noticed some movement in the woods to my left. I was excited to see it was the doe with two fawns whom I'd first seen on July 5th. That first time I had actually seen her with three fawns which is unusual since a doe will normally have only two. This time I only saw the two of them. Although they stayed very hidden they were quite curious about me.