Theme day: A big mess

The theme for November is "a big mess".  

After a rain, the trail really was a big mess...

 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

I never thought that Halloween was a time to decorate your house, but the neighbors are really getting into it!

A zombie apocalypse,

a haunted bird bath

and a skull eating rabbit?

 

Heron

This heron stalked the edge of the lake looking for fish or maybe frogs.  Noisy people walking by on the trail didn't bother him a bit.

 

Anole

He stopped to look at us, turned from brown to green, and scurried off.

 

Wild fern garden

Hidden away, on the far side of Durant lake, is the Fern garden.  Standing in one place, we found at least 4 different types.

Netted chain fern

Christmas fern

Royal fern

Who knows?

 

Heron

It wasn't hot, but this heron just sat up in the old dead tree panting.

 

Fall is sneaking in

After a hot summer, the weather has turned cooler.  A few trees and bushes are starting to turn.

It happens little by little here.

 

Blushing bride?

Two skinny love birds

As seen in Costo.  

 

Sundown

With so many trees around, we don't see a lot of sunsets.  But this one peaked out through the trees.

 

Pest

This prehistoric looking guy is a Leaf Footed Bug.  (see here)  They can be pests in the garden, chomping on almost everything.  The resource above describes one method for getting rid of them:

 "If only a small group of bugs are a problem, they can be dislodged into a jar of soapy water in which they will drown in agony." 

Someone really doesn't like those bugs!

 

Guardian

The owl statue must have been placed on the top part of the Falls Lake Dam to scare away birds.  It didn't work for whoever made the nest.  Osprey maybe?

 

Daddy's girl

She was bouncing all over on the Falls Lake Dam road.  Dad was only one step behind.

 

Wizzard staff?

Did Gandalf lose his staff?

 

One down

Little by little the lake claims the surrounding forest.  

 

Why?

I don't mind graffiti too much if it's on a building or cement wall.  But on these rocks?

Why?

 

Blue belly

 

This gentleman is an Eastern Fence Lizard.  (see here)  He was well camoflaged  against the cement curb, until I saw is bright blue belly.  He watched me with suspicious eyes and then scampered off.

Nature finds a way

The cars going by on the busy road couldn't see the heron sitting below.   

 Can you see him?

 

Downy

This little downy woodpecker was darting everywhere.

I think he was chasing bugs.

 

Mushrooms

We've had a lot of rain lately as well as cloudy cool days.

Mushrooms pop up everywhere.

 

Still green

A trail through the still green forest.

 

Shelly and Ollie

 

Shelly and Ollie are two Eastern Box Turtles in an enclosure at Wilkerson Nature Preserve. 

 This one's Shelly.

This one's Ollie.

Blue birds?

This bluebird looked like he was posing with the "blue bird" on top of the feeder.

 

A green world

Everything was green, even the pond.

This turtle was just hanging out taking it all in.

 

And more art

This one is my favorite.

 

Sidewalk art

The park walkway was full of art.

 

follow the leader

These three looked like they were going somewhere.

 

Bath time

These birds were zipping around the dam trace at Durant Nature Park.  They zipped in, took a bath and then zipped back out.

As far as I can tell, they are Pine Warblers.  This is what an unfluffy one looks like.

 

Fluttery Fritillary

This Variegated Fritillary was fluttering around one of it's favorite plants, a purple passion flower vine.  

(See here)

 

Christmas time already!

I found these last week in September!  Lowe's has all their Christmas decorations for sale already.  

Blow-up Yeti's, Snowmen (including Olaf), reindeer, light up Santa, and these little Christmas village buildings.  

What happened to Thanksgiving?

Incoming!

The bumble bees are loving the goldenrod.

 

Small treasures

These beauties are easy to miss.  They're subtle and small.  

This one is a Panicledleaf Ticktrefoil.  (Say that one three times fast!)

This one is a purple false foxglove. (another tongue twister!)