October 5th.  Common Sawfly larvae (Macremphytus sp., probably M. testaceus).

 

Typical early fall morning with ground fog rising from the marsh.

 

 

 

October 6th.  More ground fog.

 

 

 

Sunlight just catching the tops of the trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rippled reflections.

 

 

 

I heard a Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) calling!

 

Top perch in that tall dead tree, showing young males how it's done.

 

 

 

Guessing these will be the last Redwings until mid-February.  They'll be welcomed back then.

 

Hmm, immature Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus) or...?  Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler (Dendroica coronata).  Thanks again, Russ!

 

After seeing a blur pop into it, I staked out this Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) hole in the trail surface.

 

After a few minutes, patience rewarded - briefly.  Just time for one quick shot before it zipped back down.

 

Looks like the Hebron Senior's mural is about complete.

 

It depicts the "Ghost Train" with its white coaches arriving at the Amston Station.

 

October 7th.  Very heavy fog this morning.  I arrived early, hoping for a sunrise through the fog.  No luck.

 

 

 

 

 

Heavy fog at the Route 207 crossing too.

 

Nice to see some Evening Primroses (Oenothera biennis) still blooming.

 

Caterpillar of the Giant Leopard Moth (Hypercompe scribonia).

 

When curled in a defensive ball, red intersegmental membranes offer warning coloration.

 

October 11th.  A brief walk near the Blackledge River Bridge off River Road.

 

Sumac (Rhus sp.).

 

 

 

The last Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) flower I could find.

 

Pollen-feeding beetles.  I think they may be Family Dermestidae; perhaps Cryptorhopalum sp.

 

 

 

Another beetle, this one an aquatic Whirligig Beetle (Family Gyrinidae; Dineutus sp.).

 

Cinquefoil (Potentilla sp.).

 

Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus).

 

Catbriar (Smilax rotundifolia).

 

Chinese Mantis (Tenodera aridifolia).

 

 

 

October 12th.  It turns out that the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) that I heard on October 6th...

 

...wasn't quite the last one of the year after all.

 

 

 

October 13th.  First frost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) gathering on the Hebron open space side of the marsh where waterfowl hunting is prohibited.

 

Barred Owl (Strix varia) backlit and in deep shade.

 

October 14th.  Canada Geese (Branta canadensis).  Among the first migrants I've seen this fall.  There are no resident geese on the marsh this year.