October 17th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 18th.  Thirty degrees and first serious frost at the marsh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the sun reached the frosted leaves, "fall" began in earnest as the video below reveals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few sheltered Asters escaped the frost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 19th.  Twenty-two degrees and heavy frost.  (Light snow flurries yesterday afternoon.)

 

 

 

 

 

Contrails in the cold air aloft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 20th.  Just before dawn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of a flock of Warblers out mid-morning. Russ Smiley identifies them as Palm Warblers (Dendroica palmarum), specifically the yellow Eastern race.  Thanks, Russ!

 

October 22nd.  Pre-dawn sun along Route 85 as I approached the trail head.

 

 

 

 

 

A very different sky by the time I reached the marsh.

 

 

 

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are back in numbers on the marsh.  They'll be around as long as there is open water.

 

October 24th.  Frost on the marsh and a mixed flock of Canada Geese and Mallards.

 

This is the first significant fall flock of geese I've seen on the marsh overnight.

 

 

 

 

 

Hard to tell in this far distant shot, but these are two Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca carolinensis) just passing through.

 

Oops.  Walking and trying to adjust camera, I hit the shutter.

 

Some of the Oaks are coloring up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unusually colored Maple.