Road to nowhere

Old Highway 98 disappears into Falls Lake.  

 

Boardwalk

Boardwalk at Shelly Lake.

 

Cormorant

A cormorant looking pensive.

 

Buttermilk

In between rain storms we had a buttermilk sky.

 

Downy

 

This little downy woodpecker was clinging to the metal pole holding up a bird feeder.  He'd get quite a headache drumming on it.

Butterfly highway

Do butterflies need a highway?  Can they read the sign?

 

Nature library

It looked like one of the little libraries you see around.

But instead it was a nature library with nature books, magazines and things you might use to explore the park.

 

A new hawk

This time, it was a red tailed hawk munching on a squirrel in our backyard.  He saw me and flew up into a tree before swooping away.

 

Skyline

 

The PNC building (left) and Truist building (right) from South street.

Backyard Hawk

A red shouldered hawk decided to eat a robin on our compost bin.  He was chased away by a red tailed hawk who swooped by.

 

Heron takes a walk

It's so strange to watch them walk.  Their knees look backwards because it's really an ankle.  Birds are toe walkers! (see here)

 

Morning on the lake

Good Morning, geese.

 

Kinglet

The kinglets are back for the winter.  This one is a golden crowned kinglet.  You can see his little crown if you look closely at the top of his head.

 

Killdeer

Their usual sand spit was covered with water, so the killdeer had to find new places to explore.

 

Old tree

There's not much of the tree left, but just think what this stump could tell us?  Imagine how old the tree was.

 

Lounge?

An interesting place to sit.  Unfortunately the cushions were sopping wet.

 

High Water

After a heavy rain, the picnic tables were swamped.

 

Another Heron?

What can I say?  He was very photogenic.

 

Boney fingers

The tree branches looked like they were reaching down to their reflection.

 

Sky

Just an interesting sky.

 

Old stump

This stump has been there a long time.  There's not too much left.

 

Busy

This little downy woodpecker was working very hard on the tree.  

 

Neighborhood Hawk

This juvenile red shouldered hawk has decided to move into the neighborhood.  He hangs out on the neighbor's flagpole.

 And then swoops down to check out things in the lawn.

 

Grumpy

This heron reminds me of a grumpy old man.

 

Museum

A group of cedar waxwings is called an ear-full or a museum.  This little museum of waxwings was gathered high in a tree.

 

Heron

Yes, another heron.

 

Brown

Brown Thrashers are aptly named.  This one was busy thrashing around in the leaf litter looking for bugs.