This Saturday it rained almost all morning. It is much needed after such a dry summer but by now it's almost too late for many plants and trees that have endured yet another hot and dry summer. After about 1:00pm or so it stopped raining and I was able to get in a walk around the park. It was completely cloudy and everything was still wet but at least my camera would stay dry.
There aren't many trees showing fall colors yet but there are usually a few exceptions where immature trees turn quickly and shed a few brightly colored leaves. I figured the recent rain might really bring out the birds but instead it was somewhat quiet. One good bird I did spot was a Tennessee Warbler who was picking on the white berries of a Dogwood bush.
I always wondered what birds might eat these and now I know at least one. I didn't get a good photo of him and as I approached closer he flew off, but I could definitely ID him by that unique almost iridescent olive-green coloring on his back. Other birds I saw a lot of later on were White-throated Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees and Northern Cardinals. After spotting a small yellow bird on the north side, I happened to notice this
Woolly bear Caterpillar who was actually eating on a plant. Honestly I can't say I've
ever seen one actually eating a plant before, and I never really knew what they might eat. I've almost always just seen them crawling on the ground. Surprisingly he was nibbling on a common Thistle plant.
It looked like maybe the plant had broken and he was eating the inside, or maybe it was the Caterpillar himself that was responsible for eating right through the stalk. Woolly Bears have a
fascinating life cycle and can actually freeze completely solid through the winter before pupating the following Spring. Eventually they turn into what is called the Isabella Tiger Moth.
There aren't many trees showing fall colors yet but there are usually a few exceptions where immature trees turn quickly and shed a few brightly colored leaves. I figured the recent rain might really bring out the birds but instead it was somewhat quiet. One good bird I did spot was a Tennessee Warbler who was picking on the white berries of a Dogwood bush. 
I always wondered what birds might eat these and now I know at least one. I didn't get a good photo of him and as I approached closer he flew off, but I could definitely ID him by that unique almost iridescent olive-green coloring on his back. Other birds I saw a lot of later on were White-throated Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees and Northern Cardinals. After spotting a small yellow bird on the north side, I happened to notice this Woolly bear Caterpillar who was actually eating on a plant. Honestly I can't say I've ever seen one actually eating a plant before, and I never really knew what they might eat. I've almost always just seen them crawling on the ground. Surprisingly he was nibbling on a common Thistle plant. 
It looked like maybe the plant had broken and he was eating the inside, or maybe it was the Caterpillar himself that was responsible for eating right through the stalk. Woolly Bears have a fascinating life cycle and can actually freeze completely solid through the winter before pupating the following Spring. Eventually they turn into what is called the Isabella Tiger Moth.
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