Day 278 - 5th October 2015 - Dunlins, Red Knots, Black-Bellied Plovers and Sanderlings

Oh it's Monday again.  The start to the workweek. I've only got a couple of regular weeks left it's important to me to get things cleared up. I hate leaving things piled up for the winter. It will come together I'm sure.
Sunday was windy and cool, but if you could find a spot in the lee with the sun it was nice. We headed to Sandhills Beach in Villagedale. Beaches this time of year are pretty well empty - great time for birding. We weren't disappointed. There were lots of Sanderlings, Semi-palmated plovers, Red Knots, Black-bellied Plovers and a couple of Dunlins. Of course there were Gulls - they are just part of the landscape, although I usually scan them to see if there is anything different. We drove back up through Reynoldscroft and Thomasville to Clyde but the ponds on the side of the road didn't yield anything interesting. Back home, I put together and potato scallop to go with the ham for supper. Larry went to the garden and began picking more tomatoes, since they were calling for a frost.

Seven Red Knots and one Dunlin. There were at least Sixteen Red Knots.

Semi-palmated Plovers huddled against the wind.

This Dunlin was very co-operative for photos.















Black-Bellied Plover.

There were lots of Sanderlings - this is only a small selection of them.















They were busy feeding, paying little attention to me.






Enjoy your day!

Day 277 - 4th October 2015 - Red Leaves, Yellow Ferns, Blue Headed Vireo and Palm Warbler

Nice morning - the sky is clear of clouds so there are lots of stars shining and the moon is bright. Didn't hear any Owls though. Looks like it's going to be a fine day so definitely a birding day for us!  Not sure where I want to go, maybe down to Villagedale at Sandhills Beach, should be something there, the out to Cape Sable Island. Will see where the wind blows us!
It was a cold, windy, damp Saturday. I roamed the hood a bit and saw a couple of birds. Had tea with Lois - unfortunately we didn't solve all the world problems as we normally do, some are just too big even for us! However, even on a cold day it's nice to enjoy and cup of tea and watch the ducks in the lake.  Since Larry was at the Fire Hall all day I took the opportunity to get some housework done, boiled a ham (will bake it for a bit too) for Sunday and the first part of the week and curled up with my Kobo and read a little later in the afternoon.

 There are a few leaves that have turned.

 A lot of the ferns have as well - gone from green to yellow.

 Blue -headed Vireo.

 The Palm Warbler wasn't as friendly.

Green, yellow and a few brown ferns waving in the wind.





Enjoy your day!

Day 276 - 3rd October 2015 - Hermit Thrush, Seaweed and a Sparrow

Well it's not raining...at the moment. The rainfall warning has ended but we are still going to have some more, today looks like a bit of a reprieve with only a little bit. Amazing how a couple of days of rain and overcast weather and everyone starts to feel blah. Sun is definitely a mood changer. Larry has the annual Fall Fling and Auction at our Fire Hall to work at today. It's a big fundraiser. Now for me to convince him not to buy anything we don't need. Thank goodness they are able to hold everything inside and weather doesn't effect it. Tomorrow looks more favourable and maybe a day for birding. This weather must have sent a few migrant strays toward the shore.
Friday was rainy and cold. Had a good day at work, buzzed around and got a lot done in the morning. The afternoon - not so much, but a few things are finished now and another started. Did the dreaded grocery shopping on the way home. Not sure how I can need only a few things and it ends up cost so much. A lazy evening in front of the TV completed the day!

 Hermit Thrush.

 Cobwebs on the wet grass.

Savannah Sparrow rests  on top of bushes.

Shorebirds roam along through the seaweed thrown up by the sea.

I love the vivid colors - sparkling in the sun.

Probably a Fritillary butterfly of some kind.







Enjoy your day!

Day 275 - 2nd October 2015 - Fall Colors, Hairy Woodpecker and Song Sparrow

We've made it once again to Friday! More rain on the way, suppose to be another very wet day. I truthfully prefer rain from 8pm to 5 am, but I guess one can't convince Mother Nature to change her ways. So we will take what she sends and when.
Made some headway yesterday, going through a pile of papers, only to discover most of it could be shredded as it was old notes, print outs of the book we were working on this summer. I like clearing out that kind of stuff. Got September's accounting finished off and balanced. So seems I am making some headway. Hopefully today I can settle in to research and an uneventful day. Exercise class last night - back in the swing of that - or at least my love/hate relationship with it.

A windy day but he held firm on the old stick.

Bright red berries add a lot of color.

This Hairy Woodpecker was finding breakfast at the top of an old dead tree.

I did manage to find a little fall color in a couple of spots the other day.

Enjoy your day!

Day 274 - 1st October 2015 - Song Sparrow, Great Blue Heron and a Lily

Here's October - starting the month with a roar! A day to wear rubber boots and rain slickers and play in mud puddles. We definitely need rain and it looks like we will get it all at once. Work day, maybe the rain will keep people away and I can finally get a few things off my desk that I keep shuffling around. Exercise class tonight.
Larry had yesterday off so we decided to go take a short run and do some birding. Pretty quiet - nothing exciting. I wanted to go back to Hemeon's Head but couldn't convince him to do the walk again. So we went to Crane's Point, Round Bay and Roseway Beach. A few ducks were in ponds along the road (Black ducks & Teals), Song Sparrows, Gulls, Great Blue Herons and Crows. We got back before lunch since he had some outdoor work he wanted to do before the rain. So the day worked for both of us. I puttered around at housework, etc. Went for a walk. The hood was just as quiet.

Even when they've lost their color, I like their shape and texture as they blow in the wind.








Song Sparrow was having a bad hair day!

The Great Blue Heron was tired of posing.

And off he went.

Lois' Lily is beautiful. The big red hen and her chicks were settled in next to it.







Enjoy your day!

Day 273 - 30th September 2015 - Deer and Sunrise

Day off and I'm up earlier than usual. Rain on the way for the rest of the week, but the morning may stay clear. Think some birding is in order - probably won't get out much in the next couple of days. As much as we need to rain, I'm afraid there won't be much left of the leaves on the trees. Fingers crossed, I love the fall colors and have been waiting patiently to do some photos. Thought this year I'd get across the lake and take pics from that side.
Another lovely fall day.  Really warm and mild, bit of a breeze - tropical feeling. Good day at work, few people around and making some headway on a couple of research requests. Unfortunately they are moving slower than I would like. Got a couple pieces of the puzzle that just don't seem to want to fit. That's kind of what genealogy is like - a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Not sure who was more surprised yesterday morning. 

I've seen her tracks on the road lots of times, but first time I've run into her.

It was a morning of golden hues and silhouettes.

Enjoy your day!

Day 272 - 29th September 2015 - Sunrise, Cobwebs and Boats

Temperature says +16 this morning - definitely warmer than the last few days.  Lots of rain on the way later this week, but looks like Wednesday morning maybe clear (fingers crossed - want to go birding). This will bring up the water table and fill the swamps if we get what the forecast wants. I won't mention what that means, I think it's a tad bit early yet to mention the big W word!
This Monday went off much better than last. Busy morning at work, lots of people through, quieter in the afternoon, just a few and I got some work done. Sun was out and warm but really windy. All I saw on my walk were the ducks and one Black & White Warbler. The trees were very quiet. Not even a Chickadee in sight. Exercise class last night - sure there will be abs that hurt tomorrow. Lets just remember no pain no gain - or that's what they say.

Well I missed the Blood Moon the other night but the Sun looked pretty good yesterday morning coming through the fog.

There were lots of cobwebs around. Hard to believe something so intricate can be spun overnight.

Beautiful morning on the Harbour with a few boats.





Enjoy your day!