Sights of September

Every year that I hike around the park, there seems to be a day or two where the Carp living in Shingle Creek go crazy. They jump wildly from the water, splashing loudly and crashing back down, making quite a sight and sound. In prior years I've attempted to catch one in mid-jump but that was back with my old point-and-shoot camera which had the focus speed of a snail. This Sunday afternoon was apparently the height of "carp jumping" season as I hiked along the creek on the north side near the foot bridge. I was in awe of just how frequently one would jump –roughly 20 seconds or less apart! So I found myself a good spot to sit and watch the show and clicked away repeatedly hoping to catch just one. To my surprise I caught more than one. In fact I had enough to share an album on facebook with! This is just one of the many but I like how you can even see the fishes face in this one. On the north end of the park I wasn't seeing much for birds. But almost at the very second I crossed paths with a pair of other hikers, a bright red Cardinal came in and landed right between us! The couple obviously noticed him and pointed down, nearly touching the bird and saying "ooh look at that!" I was shocked the bird didn't fly away so I snapped a few photos just seconds later. I think this is one of the more interesting photos I've ever gotten of a Cardinal. Later on the same path, I spied a fuzzy (almost hairy) yellow-orange caterpillar. I've seen this one before but never paid much attention to it so I decided to photograph it and look it up later. If you think it looks similar to the orange and black ones known as "Woolly Bear" caterpillars, you are on the right path. This is what is known as a "Yellow Woolly Bear" or even shorter version "Yellow Bear" Caterpillar. It will turn into a nearly all white colored moth known as the "Virginia Tiger Moth."