Oct 2, 2019 8:14 AM – 9:49 AM 1.0 mile(s)
Birder 3.
Birds 17: Canada Goose 5, Accipiter sp. 1, Red-bellied Woodpecker 2, Northern Flicker 20, Blue Jay 11, American Crow 4, Black-capped Chickadee 2, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5, European Starling 10, Gray Catbird 10, Eastern Bluebird 2, American Robin 2, Cedar Waxwing 10, American Goldfinch 15, White-throated Sparrow 2 [I never caught up with these], Western/Eastern Meadowlark 1 [outside of park], and Northern Cardinal 5.
It was a remarkably warm morning for early October. Warm, but dark and drippy.
It misted the whole time we walked. The mist level was enough that I left my camera in the car, but not enough that we did not go. Note to self when it is wet bring the waterproof camera.
Along the N boundary I found I plant I did not know before, Motherwort, Leonurus cardiac. Pioneers planted this European mint for its medicinal properties.
After all the rain we have had recently we had a very nice walk. Birds were hard to see, and harder to count. The leaves are thinning in some trees, but are still pretty dense in many places.
We took the W side of the lake to return home and found 2 more species. As I got out of the car at the lake the mist moved in heavier and my trip was over.
The flowers at the park are mostly gone. Around the CEC there are scattered, yellow composites.
I think it is gone to be a strange fall. Many trees have spots of colors, often single leaves have turned. I picked a number of leaves off the sumac, most were still green, but often rather sad looking. Here is a photo of the colored ones I picked. They battered looking and various colors.
The Sugar Maple out back is still mostly green from top to bottom, but here and there are yellow or red-orange leaves.