Theme day: Transportation

The theme for October is Transportation.  An ebike with a little bit of pedaling power will get you pretty far.

But maybe not too fast.

 

False foxglove

The purple false foxglove was blooming in a tangle of plants.  (see here)

 

House finch

House finches are so common we hardly look at them.  They were busy in the cedar tree.

 

Reflection

How many turtles do you see?  The reflection doubled the turtle population.

 

Calm

The pond was glassy.

 

Little Deer

This little deer was quietly foraging by himself.  He still has his spots so he's pretty young.  We looked for Mom, but couldn't see her.

 

Crownbeard

The yellow Crownbeard was blooming profusely.  Both the bees and the beetles were enjoying themselves.

 

Jewel

The jewelweed flowers were hanging down like...you guessed it!  Little jewels.

 

pods

I think these are the seed pods of rose mallow.  The seeds are as showy as the flowers.

 

Wren

This little Carolina Wren was keeping an eye on everything going on around him.

 

Smart?

The ducks in the pond were nibbling at this plant.  I think it's some sort of smartweed.  I don't think it was making them any smarter though.

 

All seasons?

I guess stores need to be prepared for all holidays.  I think September is a little early for Halloween, but Christmas is creeping in.

 

Canada Warbler

This Canada Warbler was hopping quickly in the trees.

It was hard to identify her since they're only seen rarely in North Carolina.  Maybe blown off course by bad weather?

 

Green Heron

This green heron quietly stood next to the boardwalk at Lake Lynn until a noisy group of dog walkers rumbled by.

 

Boardwalk

The boardwalk at Lake Lynn.

 

Virgin's Bower

I think this is Virgin's Bower (see here), not its invasive look-alike, Sweet Autumn Clemetis (see here).  At least I hope so.

 

 

Eager beavers?

We've never seen a beaver at Lake Lynn, but the evidence is unmistakable.

 

Cardinal

One lone cardinal flower bloomed in the wetland.  Was it named after the bird?  It is the same color.

 

Eagle

The lake was peaceful, until a bald eagle decided to come visiting.

With a loud squawk, the heron flew off.

The little killdeers tried valiantly to chase him off.

Bored at last, the eagle flew to the top of a tree.

And surveyed his kingdom with eagle eyes.

 

Mr. Heron

If you walk by any body of water in Raleigh, you will see Mr. Heron.

He was peacefully enjoying himself.  

Check back tomorrow to see what happened next.

 

Rusty gate

The garden is overgrown and the gate is rusty.  Makes me wonder if there is a story here.

 

Pickerel weed

Just because it has the word "weed" in it's name, doesn't mean it's not beautiful.  This Pickerel weed grows in wetlands.  (see here)

 

Sleeping plant

It's a Partridge Pea, also known as a sensitive plant or a sleeping plant.  I think it gets it's nickname because it folds it's leaves when touched and at night. (see here)

 

Name that tune...

The birds on the wires looked like a sheet of music.

 

Light in the forest

The sun shining through a break in the trees looked like a spotlight on a patch of forest.

 

Pheobe

This little pheobe waited patiently for me to get the right focus.

(See here)

 

Turning

It seems a bit early, but leaves are beginning to turn.

 

Wetland

This tiny bit of wetland is a sample of what could be lost by the Supreme Court's decision to unprotect the majority of wetlands in the US.  (see here for an explanation)  

 

Learning from Dad

A daddy goldfinch and juvenile checking out the dog fennel.  I think daddy was showing the young one how to find its own food.

 

Bee balm

True to its name, Spotted Beebalm was hosting many insects.

I think these were wasps not bees, but they were happy.