October is Hard

...for me, the moon in my house must be falling...

I have been birding a little... my radius continues to draw the regulars nothing new so far this month...I hope it will improve as the migration goes forward. So I've been on warbler watch and I'll share some of what I've found along the way not all were photographed...none of these came out of my 5 mile...because I didn't want to miss all the good stuff that is out beyond the 5 mile. 

                                                           Olive Clouded Skipper

Eastern Phoebe 

American Redstart female

And a male

White eyed Vireo

And the first Ovenbird I've seen a long time!

                                             Palm Warbler

Eastern Wood Peewee

Scarlet Tanager Non breeding male, a county bird for me..

Summer Tanager Immature Male

Young Eastern Bluebird

A Northern Parula 

A Spice Bush Swallowtail Caterpillar

One of the deer went into the old barn...I think they like it in there...

Sadly my Mom fell again and she got some really awful cuts as she hit the door frame on her way down.  With old fragile skin it just ripped it to pieces...She went to the ER and was back home a few hrs later, but she will be house bound for a while till she gets able to use her walker again...

That morning we had taken her with us to the Congaree National Park..she didn't really want to go but we made her go anyway...

She had her 95th Last week...

...this reminds me of meringue on Mom's Banana Pudding.

She actually did not enjoy the outing and demanded we take her home so we did...home is not always a safe place to be...she has forgotten how much she loves a day out and about in nature... I hope I never forget all the great times I've enjoyed sharing nature with my Mom the tree hugger...taken Dec 19, 2010 on the same boardwalk!

I know you all have read many blogs featuring my Mom...I've been sharing our Adventures for many years so I will keep you posted on her recovery.  She has a strong will and spunk and  I know she will try hard to get over this set back...if love alone could mend her she would be healed instantly. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

AUK TOE BURR

My "first week of October" got off to a really slow start! Seems I just couldn't get myself in gear.  I had a birthday I'm another year older...so there's that.  Aging makes everything harder...compared to my younger self.  Not comparing me to anyone else just to myself, what is hard for me may be easy for you, what is easy for me may be hard for you, that changes with time for us all...

what's missing in this photo?

Yep it was a challenge to get that line down...but now it's gone to the trash I wrapped it up in a brown bag so hopefully when it gets to the landfill no bird will get into it there and I also found that piece of weed eater line, and tossed that in too.  And notice spider's web still intact!


How many ducks? click to enlarge

I have yet to see the first arriving sparrow! Saw some low counts reported on the lists of coastal county residents but none here. We had this scorching record braking heat wave this week and it is now it has come to a close...Thank goodness, really hope that's the end of it, we have 8 months now before it comes again in 2020!




See the kayak stands on the far left of this shot?  Park employees put these up about 4 yrs ago...BUT the distance is too far apart for the kayaks they rent...the kayak will fall off... they never came back and to change to the proper distance apart...Question? When you make a mistake do you just shake your head, walk away, and never try to rectify it? 

Eastern Phoebe

Took this at the new County Park last week...this is the Wateree River...and I just noticed the arm of a guy (far rt) who was metal detecting...in the water! Never saw someone do that before.  This rock should be full of cormorants or gulls, yet---?  I see some white wash wonder who made that?

Had this immature Bald Eagle at my radius  hotspot today,  pretty far away

And last week when I checked the Racetrack pond, the volume was low, looks like a young a Red Shouldered Hawk on the ground hunting frogs, insects, and who knows what else...

red shouldered hawk, based on the reddish patches at the shoulder

Im digging those leg feathers...

Cattle Egret hang out with cattle, but mules really should not be put in pasture with horned cows!

Notice huge gash on mule's rump...and the sharp points on his pasture mates horns!  Strange bedfellows sometimes can be dangerous.



We're fostering 2 youngsters they come every day to the field and they overnight here too...they graze, play, and sleep...I didn't go outside to try for photos, thru the window shots is what I have..this is today's nap time. They still have spots and my research tells me they lose the spots at 3-4 months of age so these are brand new creatures taking their turn at life on Earth.  Each one having their own personal experience...as I look at the little deer he is experiencing the smell of the grass, the warmth of the air, the rustle of nearby birds, and they hear me walking around in my house with their big ears.  They are having thoughts and they are here with intention not by accident...they know who they are and where they are and what they are doing. They are living beings with family and friends, and a purpose in life. 

Sometimes an adult is nearby.  I have some old horse watering buckets.  A cool drink would be a good thing and I think they would appreciate it.  

Wood Duck Quizz = 6 one just visible on the far right in front of the shrub

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Rain Maker!

This was the fastest September of all! WHAT? it's hot again? Dang we had this short little fall it lasted about 4 days then humid n hot like Summer again...LOL During that short reprieve I was able to paint that metal chair I found and if you wanna see how I did here is a You Tube of that important event..haha!

The birding has been very slow this month..One new bird in my radius birding patch since the Spotted Sandpiper at the beginning of Sept.  So adding 2 is all for this whole month.  I'll save that for the end of this post...We have some activity with our regular birds...

wood duck drake

And this is a heavy crop of a Pileated Woodpecker gliding through the air...how aerodynamic is that?

It's been SO dry when I put the sprinkler on an area of the yard the birds came to take showers

The Northern Mockingbird spread his wings and tail feathers in appreciation of the cool water...

This young Northern Parula looked 3 times normal size all fluffed up and getting as much water as possible, it even tried to catch some drops in an open mouth...

The Eastern Bluebird got in on the action as well...

.     .     .

Today I made my way over to the new park that recently opened up in our county.  I have entered it to ebird and made it into a hotspot..So far I'm the only one birding there.  

It is a riverside county park, and there is this little creek that empties into the river here...birds are active along the banks of this creek.  The only problem is fishermen...and hopefully they will lose interest it's a sloped bank and lots of timber down in this creek...

See what I mean...and it can't be too much fun trying to stand there for a long period and getting your line tangled up so I'm hopeful that they will give up...3 showed up while I was there but they left without fishing! :o)  

Today it was kinda of birdy! A few Early Migrants were around fattening up for the trip.  I got the worst photos I've gotten in longggg time of a Lifer there today!  At least I turned it into one.... a Northern Waterthrush not rare so I doubt it will be reviewed  I see the streaking  all the way up the throat...and the beak is not big...hope it sticks at first I thought I had a Louisiana but when comparing the two I called it Northern. I had other bad photos of it too and those helped me with my conclusion. 

I know fuzzy...

An American Redstart (f) very busy around the mud along the bank...quick as lightening and so acrobatic!  

  

Also had Gray Catbird, Northern Parula, Hairy Woodpecker, and this
warbler sp?

Pink legs, long stout beak, olive/greenish coloring with darker fine streaks on the lower wing , I think I see an eye ring but not sure and the tail seems long for a Connecticut. Ideas?

 

This Eastern Wood Pewee was still for a photo...I think this will be a good spot for Warblers, not in my radius tho.

Tons of Pine Warblers are around..and do you know how many warbler females look a lot like Pine Warblers?  Way more than you can imagine!

check out this cool V formation, you know Geese are not the only species that use this method of travel insurance...

47 Double Crested Cormorants.  

at my hotspot Goodale Park

So I got my 2nd September 5 mile Radius bird complements of an ebird reviewer...I saw what I thought was a Hermit Thrush...I've seen many of them at my Hotspot Goodale Park,  and had one already this year in late spring...and I didn't even give it a thought when I put it in as rare figured it arrived early...But the reviewer said "the eye ring looks buffy more like Swainson's Thrush..Fine by me, caChing! #121

October already?? Wow. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.