Day 17.298: Civic duty done

And now we wait to see what will unfold.

Day 17.297: First count

It was our first weekend of counting birds for Project FeederWatch. We saw 15 species including one that was a first time for our FeederWatch counts.

Blue jay (third sighting)

The bluebirds really get involved with the water in the bath

Tufted titmouse

Black-capped chickadee

Purple finch (three females or young males). They were the first-timers.

None of the other birds argue when the red-bellied woodpecker arrives.

House finch

Goldfinch and purple finch

Other species counted: dark-eyed junco, American crow, white-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, mourning dove and northern cardinal.

Day 17.296: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #498

Exile #2 writes...

We woke to frost on the grass and temperatures below freezing. It was something of a jolt to the system after a couple of bizarrely summer-like days last week. But it put us in the mood to grab brunch at a cozy gluten free cafe on the home from church and while we were there, we booked some movie tickets for the week to come - more specifically for Tuesday night, when we will need all the distraction we can get.

At time of posting: just above freezing

Day 17.295: Other nature

Today, we did some chores and did our first day of Project FeederWatch bird counting for the season but for now I’ll take you back to Halloween morning and some of the non-bird nature we observed.

American witch hazel is famous for being the last tree/shrub to flower. These flowers were past their best but it was the last day of October. 

Since it was close to the witch hazel, this is likely a citrine sallow moth 

These tubes made out of  eastern white pine needles still on the tree are evidence of another moth. In their case, the pupa form of the - appropriately-named pine tube moth

Once they were pointed out, we spotted quite a lot of them with their neatly angled entrance holes

Day 17.294: Halloween birding

Our Halloween started with a visit to the cemetery for our weekly nature/birding walk. Here's the birding summary.

We spotted this red-tailed hawk perched a little way off, it seems the spotting was mutual.

White-throated sparrow

Adult bald eagle - unmistakable even at an unfavorable angle

A little while later, I saw the hawk return to its tree with something it had caught. It turned out to be a small bird - which we then watched it make short work of eating

After spending a minute or so plucking a few feathers, it was about three mouthfuls

Carolina wren

...checking us out perhaps

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

Day 17.293: Halloween Senior Night Football

Tonight was the last home game of the regular football season and therefore "senior night" where the seniors are honored - not just the players, but the cheerleaders and the pep band members too - including E5N1.

Of course, since it was Halloween, many of the pep band were in costume - including E5N1. Exile #2 and I went out on the field with him for a celebratory photo op; we were wearing fairly normal clothes, E5N1 on the other hand... well, here he is with one of his friends:

 

Exile #3 helped him construct this "Blossom" outfit - with two of his other friends they had planned a group costume as the Powerpuff Girls

The band were on good form and will probably get another outing since the team will advance to the playoffs after their 69-0 victory today. 

Day 17.292: E5N1 Spoonhands

A few years ago, it would be the dance school’s Halloween party that would trigger either a dry-run for Halloween costumes or - sometimes - an alternative costume. Today, it was E5N1’s English class. Here he is as his twist in Edward Scissorhands.

Nothing that resembles a weapon allows though - so plastic spoons it was.

Despite having no plans for trick-or-treating, he has at least one - but probably two - other different costumes lined up for the next couple of days.