Last Day of Summer (well vacation that is)!

As it was my last weekend before going back to work, I decided to go birding one last time. This doesn't really make that much sense because I birded weekends more often during periods when I was not on vacation.

I stopped first at the shallow ponds at Hornsby Bend for a look at the shore birds that might be present. Along with the Least and Spotted Sandpipers was this Little Blue Heron.



On the other side of the pond a juvenile LBH was poking around. Juvenile LBH's are distinct from their parents because they have white plumage. Easy, right! Except Snowy Egrets and Cattle Egrets are also white and about the same size. Hmmm. So next you go to the bill. Cattle Egrets have yellow bills so that helps, but from a distance both LBH and Snowies have similar, longer, darker bills. Luckily, Snowies have yellow feet--a dead giveaway. Here is a picture of a Snowy I took later that same morning (thankfully with his feet out of the water).



Another noticeable creature in the ponds was not a bird. This guy was poking through the water with a bunch of turtles.



I decided to leave the ponds and head for the safety of the woods. Before I got there this Green Heron flew into the tree right in front of the car. I was close enough to get this nice portrait. I even had to back down on the zoom a tad.



As I was walking in the woods, I once again noticed the large amount of Orb Weavers that were present. As I was watching one, a giant grasshopper became tangled in its web. Quickly, the spider (about equal size to the grasshopper) began to let out more web from its spinnerets and wrap up the catch. Although the grasshopper kicked for a minute it soon lost the battle. Here is a picture with a good look at the spider using the webbing. Click here to see a series of these photos.



I saw quite a few birds in the woods, and in the field on the other side saw what I am calling a juvenile Dickcissel--though I'll listen to any arguments.



Happy Trails, now back to work!