A Perfect Moment
September 21st, 2009
This? Was my day, made.
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Adult male Wood Duck resting on the shore of the Rideau River. Not a painting, but the most fortuitous setup for a nature photo I've ever found. For comparison, I'll point back to the juvenile Wood Duck photos I posted last month. By winter, that young male in the first picture will look like this!
Fall migrants get the lead out
September 20th, 2009
Out to Mud Lake yesterday. I needed both my sweater and light jacket for the first half of the morning. The leaves were definitely turning. Apropos of both these facts, migrant songbirds were the most abundant I've seen them since that epic September 1st! Six species of warblers (Yellow-Rumped, Black-Throated Blue, Black-Throated Green, Northern Parula, Palm, Black-and-White), and probably more that I didn't spot. White-Throated Sparrow numbers continue to swell, as does the number of American Wigeons on the pond. An Osprey appeared briefly over the rapids.
By far most of the warblers are juveniles now (this year's young), which means they don't have much color to them, and even the adults are now transitioning into their duller non-breeding plumage. But what they lack in beauty, they make up for in numbers.
Today I went back with a friend and her mother in tow. I'm pleased to report that Mud Lake brought out all its charm for the occasion. I've been going there so long there are certain things I take for granted, and I forgot what an effect those things can have on a newcomer. So while I was looking around going "look--a Black-Throated Green Warbler!" my guests were going, "look--CHICKADEES!"
The chickadees at Mud Lake are remarkably tame. They are brave and intelligent birds, and have long since learned that ML is one of the places where, if they flutter around and act cute, humans will feed them. They'll land right in the palm of your hand (I have also had them land on my binoculars, my field guide, and my camera), and the sensation when those two little sets of claws clasp around your fingers is quite something.
Ring-Necked Ducks have arrived on the pond. These handsome diving ducks pass through Mud Lake each fall, and swell to over a hundred in number by mid-October, usually clustered way out in the water (binoculars essential, spotting scope even better). Right now the males are somewhat dingy-looking, as they haven't entirely come out of eclipse yet.
In the east part of the conservation area is a shallow seasonal swamp. Normally it's dried up by September, but because of our unusually wet summer it's still there. A large flock of residents and migrants was congregated in the area, and by some group wisdom, they had all agreed that one particular bit of the swamp made a perfect birdbath. They took turns, hopping into the water one by one--robins, nuthatches, warblers, sparrows--and splishing around.
Except for one or two juveniles, Wood Ducks were conspicuous by their absence. (That's unusual for this time of year. Perhaps the water's too deep for their liking.) However, when I went walking on my own along the Rideau River this afternoon, camera in hand, I was thrilled to find three adult males resting on a branch over the water, back from eclipse into their full colorful breeding plumage. They remained for some time, relatively unperturbed as I crept around them, looking for the perfect angle with the perfect lighting. I think I found it.
It's been a good weekend.
Widow Skimmer
September 19th, 2009
A Widow Skimmer dragonfly picks an interesting resting place.
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Common Grackle with snack
September 17th, 2009
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King Of The Woods
September 16th, 2009
I took this while watching the grand territorial duel of a couple weeks ago.
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"King of the Woods" is one of the many traditional nicknames for Pileated Woodpeckers. In this case the name is ironic since, as you know from the story, they were on a cultivated lawn with shade trees, not in the woods. That's why the lighting's so good :-)
A few late-summer wildflowers
September 15th, 2009
Creeping Bellflower, wallpaper available
Common Toadflax framed by Wild Yarrow
Toadflax is pretty when you see it, but not very photogenic. This is the best I've been able to do so far.
Young Robin
September 14th, 2009
Robins are spot-breasted as fledglings, evoking their kinship with the spotted thrushes. This one is starting to mature as the rusty-red breast comes in bit by bit.
Fear me!
September 13th, 2009
I found this young fledgling Cooper's Hawk at Mud Lake--presumably the offspring of the breeding pair in that forest. He was actually trying to cool off on an unseasonably hot day, but in this picture, he appears as if he's trying to look fierce and failing!
American Copper Butterfly
September 12th, 2009
Bugs 'n blooms
September 11th, 2009
Duck migration is officially on my radar: American Wigeons have arrived at Mud Lake! I am very fond of this bird, which I only ever see in the fall: its glittering green face stripe, squeaky-toy voice, and the winsome facial expression of the females. For now, they're too far away for my lens. Past experience says that in the coming weeks, they'll slowly realize that no one is going to hunt them at ML, and come closer to shore.
In the meantime, here's a selection of bugs 'n blooms I've photographed recently.
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A bumblebee gathering pollen from Spotted Knapweed. Photographed at Fletcher Wildlife Garden.
The beetle is called a Pennsylvania Leatherwing, aka Goldenrod Soldier Beetle. As per the second name, they have a pronounced fondness for goldenrod, but this one is making do with the next best thing: tansy. There's a spray of these pretty though odiferous wildflowers along one of the paths from Hurdman station to the river.
New England Asters, plus, I think, some variety of sweat bee. This is one of my favorite wildflowers. I look forward to them each year when August comes around. They're blooming everywhere now.
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