September 23rd. First full day of Fall.

 

 

 

 

 

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) colors up early.

 

What I think is a young Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) just west of the Colchester Spur junction.

 

 

 

 The American Yellow Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria var: guessowii, though it is now also known as Amanita chrysoblema based on recent genetic data.) mushroom photographed a few days ago have matured.

 

 

 

A young Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) in the usual spot.

 

Okay... Four sticks arranged in a square around a dog poop in the middle of the trail. I was told it was there yesterday afternoon. (A friend removed it this morning after I took this picture.) Best guess is that a trail user saw the poop and "framed it" to shame the dog owner if they came back by, or just to alert bike riders to the poop's presence.

 

An afternoon walk east from Cook Hill Road. Trail gate has seen better days.

 

Lots of farm equipment...

 

...but no sign of any animals.

 

 

 

Purple Thorn-apple or Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium). Poisonous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carolina Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense). Poisonous and spiny.

 

Nifty Katydid (Family Tettigoniidae) nymph. Check out the long antennae.

 

 

 

 

 

Most likely Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) with a Cuckoo Wasp (Family Chrysididae).

 

See the Aphid, just left of center? ;-)

 

Three Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) on the marsh's outlet stream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae) on Winterberry (Ilex verticillata).

 

 

 

 

 

A brief visit to Old Colchester Road. By the time I got there, I think they were just cleaning out excess cement.

 

 

 

All the forms had been removed.

 

I didn't expect much at Norton's Pond but I was surprised to see this Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmm, a short flight and a lot of flapping around. Not sure what it landed on.