|
Nature Highlights from October
|
|
 |
|
Palm Warbler at the Wheaton Branch ponds (Mandrake Sumner photo)
|
|
October was a productive time for nature photographers in Sligo.
The Palm Warbler at left was photographed by Mandrake Sumner at the Wheaton Branch ponds on October 12, presumably on its way south for the winter, which it spends along the Caribbean coast in Mexico and South America. Dan Treadwell photographed the same species at the Kemp Mill stormwater ponds, where Ann Hobbs spotted one on October 16.
At the Wheaton Branch ponds from October 21-23, Robert Cantor observed three Eastern Phoebes, two Eastern Bluebirds, four Black Vultures, and eight Wood Ducks, among other birds. His great shot of a Bluebird is below.
On October 6, Stephen Davies counted no less than fifteen Chimney Swifts, which were stopping by Sligo while heading to their winter habitats on Caribbean islands and in northwest South America.
|
|
|
Eastern Bluebird at the Wheaton Branch ponds on October 23 (Robert Cantor photo)
|
|
|
|
Eastern Phoebe showing its winter yellow plumage October 5 at the Kemp Mill stormwater ponds (Dan Treadwell photo)
|
|
|
|
Differential Grasshopper at the Kemp Mill stormwater ponds on October 5 (Dan Treadwell photo)
|
At least twenty Red-eared Sliders were sunning themselves when Dan Treadwell took their photo (above) on October 25 at the Kemp Mill stormwater ponds.
This species is native to the southern U.S. but has been released widely by pet owners and now thrives in the Baltimore-Washington area at the expense of native species.
In the photo below, Robert Cantor captured a Red-tailed Hawk (far left) being chased away by a group of crows after it made an unsuccessful dive at a Great Blue Heron at the Wheaton Branch ponds.
|
|
|
Despite the long drought, plants in the powerline meadow (below) were showing nice colors on October 19, with plenty of grass-leaved (aka flat-top) goldenrod (foreground), late boneset, winged sumac (red), and small white aster.
|
|
