Kind of a gray day at the park

[wfooshee]

It was cloudy today, kind of dim light, but I went out anyway. Panthers lost to the Falcons after doing everything right, except for that last minute. Made me mad, I had to get out.

Anyway, I got 3 does, a buck, 2 new-to-me birds, and a trespassing reptile.

Gray Catbird:


Got him calling:


I got this doe during a rare, and brief, hole in the clouds.


Didn't seem to be spooked much, and crossed the trail right behind me.


Belted Kingfisher. I got one of these in flight a few weeks ago, and had to ask for ID help in the Spring 2012 bird ID thread. I think if I'd had these first I would have done better. Maybe.




My second new-to-me bird, a Willet. (The Gray Catbird was my first today.)




Doe #2:


I startled Doe #3 along the trail to the side of Gator Lake. (Actually, I had no idea she was there, and she startled me when she spooked.) She stopped just a short ways off and kept an eye on me.


Then she wandered off across the lowland, now a pond because of all the rain we've had.


So which will you choose: doe #1, doe#2, or doe#3?

This guy was on what's supposed to be my side of the fence....


...but with all the rain we've had, the water in the lake is very high, and he felt entitled to the space. Who am I to argue?


Ran into a buck on the way out. I saw him cross the road up ahead, stopped the bike, dug the camera out that I'd just packed, and walked down just a ways. He waited for me, and watched me a bit, then resumed his grazing. Thanks, buck!

[Grandpaw]

It was cloudy today, kind of dim light, but I went out anyway. Panthers lost to the Falcons after doing everything right, except for that last minute. Made me mad, I had to get out.

Anyway, I got 3 does, a buck, 2 new-to-me birds, and a trespassing reptile.

Gray Catbird:


Got him calling:


I got this doe during a rare, and brief, hole in the clouds.


Didn't seem to be spooked much, and crossed the trail right behind me.


Belted Kingfisher. I got one of these in flight a few weeks ago, and had to ask for ID help in the Spring 2012 bird ID thread. I think if I'd had these first I would have done better. Maybe.




My second new-to-me bird, a Willet. (The Gray Catbird was my first today.)




Doe #2:


I startled Doe #3 along the trail to the side of Gator Lake. (Actually, I had no idea she was there, and she startled me when she spooked.) She stopped just a short ways off and kept an eye on me.


Then she wandered off across the lowland, now a pond because of all the rain we've had.


So which will you choose: doe #1, doe#2, or doe#3?

This guy was on what's supposed to be my side of the fence....


...but with all the rain we've had, the water in the lake is very high, and he felt entitled to the space. Who am I to argue?


Ran into a buck on the way out. I saw him cross the road up ahead, stopped the bike, dug the camera out that I'd just packed, and walked down just a ways. He waited for me, and watched me a bit, then resumed his grazing. Thanks, buck!

Nice series of photos! Looks like you had a very productive outing. Jeff