Fall is on!

Welcome back! Fall is in full swing here in Connecticut, about 70% of the maples have lost their leaves, tomatoes in the garden are all done, and the bucks are in pre rut out chasing the does! I can honestly say that this time of year is my favorite, any chance for me to get outside I take it, before work, after work, even during lunch.

In the past two weeks my field work has been very enjoyable. I have noticed several new species of birds that I have never seen before and I am including a few sketches I did of 2 of these. Last Saturday a flock of these tiny birds were all around me picking at the twigs of a sugar maple. I later identified them as Ruby Crowned Kinglet and the Golden Crowned Kinglet. These birds are a lot of fun to watch and have the ability to hover in place almost like a humming bird. I am also attaching an image of a Pieated Woodpecker that I took in New Hampshire. I really don't see these all to often.
Finally, I made another new purchase. I now am the proud owner of a digital scouting camera that uses infra red technology to take pictures of animals in the woods while unattended. Here are a few shots of a nice 10 point buck I named Daggers. The camera is back out in the woods today in a area that I saw the biggest buck on my way home from work last night. I scouted the hill side behind where I saw him and located some trees that had recently been violently rubbed and that's where I set up the camera. I will be picking it up in 2 days to see if I got him, look for an update, I'm very excited to capture that guy on film, or should I say, memory stick!
Enjoy this weather, and happy Halloween!
Bill