September 29th.  Driving to the trail and hustling in towards the marsh, I missed all but this last bit of a glorious pre-dawn sky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Intentionally underexposed.)

 

 

 

September 30th.  The small marsh near the junction with the Colchester Spur in Amston.

 

 

 

The Brownstone Bridge that carries the trail over River Road in Colchester.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nearby, the bridge over the Blackledge River.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West of River Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 3rd.  A check of Lyman Viaduct for fall foliage.  Not much, and sight lines to nearby hills mostly obscured by trees near the trail.  This cryptic insect is a Rough Stink Bug (Brochymena arborea).

 

 

 

A female Katydid (Family Tettigoniidae).

 

 

 

A Firefly (Elychnia sp.), a species that is diurnal and lacks a light.  Probably a female, given the modest antennae  (Males locate females by scent so tend to have more developed antennae.)

 

An Ant (Family Formicidae) on Queen-Anne's Lace.

 

 

 

A Potter Wasp (Eumenes sp.).

 

One of a few oak leaves that had turned color.

 

Best guess is a Gem-studded Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum).

 

 

 

October 4th.  A misty morning brought out fall colors.

 

Except for the occasional Red Maple, oaks and other canopy forest trees are still green.

 

Probably the largest White- or Bald-faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) nest that I've ever seen.  It's low above the trail right at the Route 85 trailhead.

 

Still quite active too.