It is getting more difficult to see things on the Dike Trail. The Cat Tail reeds are getting taller. Soon I will only be able to photograph the impoundments through a few select openings. The Marsh Wrens that were displaying from the tops of reeds are now generally hid deep within the reeds. This one found one of the few cat tails from last year that was tall enough for an encore performance.
Just past the boat landing along the upper impoundment trail a snapping turtle was laying her eggs. She was busy digging and laying eggs for at least an hour. I don't know if I am projecting human emotions onto the turtle. At one point it looked like she actually shed a tear while laying eggs. Then again being aquatic maybe she was only keeping her eyes moist.
I ran into Alan Bragg who introduced me to a few new birds. They were
Common Yellowthroat
A Brown Creeper - which behaves similar to a nuthatch, except it starts at the bottom of the tree and works its way up
Along the way various things caught my eye. Sometimes I was attracted by their color, the lighting, their shape, or because I didn't know what I was looking at.
Smootish Hawkweed
On the way back to the parking lot, he showed me where a Wood Thrush was nesting. I hate to admit I walked under this nest only two days before and didn't notice a thing. The parents were busy gathering food to feed their young. Click on the last image to see the full size version. You can just see the young chick eating. It must be quite new because you don't see many feathers.
Great shots, I was expecting eastern wood-pewee
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