Green and Blue

Since it's stopped raining the weather has really been fantastic. Though most days are now starting out in the mid 40's, it can still top out in the mid 70's. Today was another nice morning though I nearly turned back as my stupid camera was running on low batteries. I tried different combinations of batteries and finally got the damn thing to stay on right before I noticed this Male Wood Duck. Later I spotted only a few mushrooms and a Red-bellied Woodpecker. On the east side though I noticed a large Blue Jay just off the trail. I was excited to get my first decent photo of one but sadly even these pics turned out crummy. It's kind of funny that such a common bird can be so elusive. This might be the first and only Blue Jay photo I've put on the blog but hopefully I'll catch a better one soon. On the south side, small flocks of Canada Geese were passing just shortly over my head. The first time I was warned by loud honking but the second time I heard only the whoosh of whistling feathers heading my way. I pointed my camera up and managed to catch the whole group. I like how they're wings are in different positions.

Fall Flooding

Earlier in the week, we got half an inch of rain. Then mid-week almost the entire lower part of Minnesota was hit with huge amounts of rainfall. Amounts near ten inches were recorded in lower portions of the state but here in the Twin Cities metro area we received about two inches. I didn't think it was possible but water levels at the park have continued to rise. Since the path pretty much circles the outer edge of the lower-lying swamp, water is creeping outwardly towards the path in all directions. Though it's not a common sight on the trees yet, a few brightly colored signs of fall can be found here and there laying on the rich green grass. Even as it continued to rain this morning, birds were out in full force. I saw a Hawk, Cardinals, Catbirds, Robins, Chickadees, Coots, Downy Woodpeckers and even a Pileated Woodpecker in flight. But probably the most interesting bird I saw today were more Yellow Warblers. I don't know why I've never noticed them before but they are just everywhere now. Pretty sure I've only been seeing females as they are this odd colored dirty yellow, almost greenish-yellow on the belly. Interestingly I've noticed them more often near foliage of the very same color -which is especially prevalent now with many of the leaves in that "in-between" green and yellow stage. I watched this one for a while perform areal acrobatics usually reserved for Hummingbirds. It would leap upwards, hover mid-air and pick at these wispy leaves. I thought it was attracted to the plant itself but my field guide says it's diet is strictly insects. So maybe it was picking small bugs off the leaves. The wet weather has brought out the snails again. This one was half buried in water even on the path.

Season about to change

Though it's not officially Autumn for another two days, it sure has felt like it for the past few weeks. High temps are only in the mid 50's to low 60's now but I refuse to get out my jacket just yet. I saw just one deer this walk, a Doe that stayed mostly hidden near the edge of the cattails on the south side. Really not much to see the rest of my walk but on two occasions as I was bird watching, I noticed mushrooms way up in the trees. Not the "shelf" kind you would expect to be attached to a tree, but the more common umbrella shaped ones you' normally find on the ground. I figured the first one was a total fluke at about 30 feet up in a tree. Then I saw a group of them at about the same height in a different tree. I would have never expected to see them in such a place. Upon returning to the parking lot, a bush covered in bright red stems caught my eye. It looked as though berries or something may have been attached to the tips but there was nothing there now. Whatever it is, I sure didn't notice it before so maybe the stems have just turned red recently.

Last days of Summer

I had to get in a very fast walk this morning due to other plans for the day. So many of the birds I've seen this year are already gone for the winter. One bird that is year round though are Downy Woodpeckers. The red patch of this male caught my eye on the east side. As I passed the ball fields a bit later, I paused to watch a big group of Ducks hoping to spot a Wood Duck. As so often happens, when I stop to look at a common sight, I end up noticing something more interesting. Just a few feet below me I noticed a small furry Muskrat. Then another right next to it. As I focused my camera, one quickly dipped into the water. As it swam just below the surface I could follow where it was as the floating green algae would periodically part for a few seconds due to the commotion below. Eventually the other one went under too but popped his head out briefly for this photo.