July 21st. A large Crayfish in defensive posture on the trail.

 

I gradually moved around to its side...

 

 

 

 

 

...and it stayed in defensive posture until I had all the pictures I wanted, and I moved on.

 

Today, the young Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) hopped towards me rather than away.

 

Finally, it stepped casually into the trailside foliage.

 

One of a family of four Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) perched by the pond east of Route 207.

 

July 22nd. Jewelweed or Spotted Touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis).

 

 

 

A distant hawk. Best guess a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus).

 

 

 

The young Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

 

 

 

A bit of Cardinal-flower (Lobelia cardinalis) surviving at the marsh exit stream.

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) grooming.

 

Afternoon at Cranberry Bog. The resident Grerat Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) with the damaged tongue...

 

...that I've seen here for four years or more.

 

Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).

 

 

 

Bumble Bee (Family Bombidae) in the foreground.

 

 

 

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) with a male Common Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) behind it, upper right.

 

One of the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) families down by the farmyard just east of the pond.

 

Back to the Great Blue Heron on the pond.

 

 

 

 

 

"Gular Flutter" is the way birds vibrate their throat to cool themselves, like panting in mammals.

 

See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NggVoJ7mOos

 

July 23rd. American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) fruits are developing.

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) barely visible amid foliage bordering the trail.

 

 

 

On the hunt.

 

The White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) where she usually feeds each morning.

 

A few minutes later, back to the Heron.

 

Spotted something but failed to strike as I watched.

 

I moved on, but heard someone call out that the bird had caught a fish and was flying towards me. Sure enough, I saw it and could see that the fish was in the process of being swallowed. Note the bulge in its throat.

 

Nearby and perched in some shrubs was another heron, this one leaner and very vocal.

 

Maybe a young bird not as successful at hunting as the first bird?