Nature Notes: early October

I love the way the grass plumes wave in the wind.

The mourning dove was preening after her bath on my deck.

At first I thought the tree had red leaves until I realized it was the vine that was red. My guess is the vine is Virginia Creeper.

The pokeberries are popular with birds. They are toxic to mammals but the small seeds inside the berry with the toxin remain intact in the birds digestive system and are eliminated whole.

The geese are almost hidden by the dried flowers on the sandbar.

I don't know what kind of tree that is below but it certainly is flamboyant this time of year.

We've had a mix of pretty days and rain over the past week.

The rufous-sided towhee below was rummaging in my front yard.

The American Robin was hopping in and out of my front yard bird bath.

Two American robins and a female cardinal were enjoying my deck baths.

The American robin looks so different when its feathers are all puffed out.

The male house finch below was heading to the bath.

Below is a female and male house finch. The female is rather dour in her beige colors.

I'm amused by how the squirrel's tail is often the only thing I see of it in the trees.

Not sure what the rabbit hopes to find in the gutter downspout.

The female cardinal looks like she's puckering up for a kiss.

The cardinal has soaked most of the water from the small bath into her feathers.

The individual trees that have changed colors stand out amidst the green ones still in summer frocks.

I like the way the dried yarrow looks this time of year.

I'll end with a lone leaf saturated by rain today.

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