Early Autumn at the Pond

Summer lingers around the rim, but Autumn is making it's way to Frog Song Pong. The pond babies of Spring have grown up to swim and fly and feed on their own. This little wood duckling is more of a teenager now. (Photo was taken through my window--they're too skittish to get close). We've seen five of them swimming around. Maybe the next book should be Pond Teens...

The chickadees are busily harvesting pine nuts from the cones.

Some critters avoid being the harvest themselves by clever camouflage. See this moth? Can you see it in the next photo?
Stay tuned for more Fall images.

Frog & Friends

Well, maybe "frog & lunch" would be more accurate--I'm not sure. But anyway, this handsome fellow wasn't anywhere near these lovely moths. The black and white one is a leopard moth, and is nocturnal. I have no idea what the other one might be, but would love to know. First I've seen of either one of them. Gorgeous!

Froggy time at the pond

So great to see the frogs again!

Turkey Crossing

A parade of turkeys crossed the snow-heaped pond today, leaving zig-zag trails.

November Turtles

Two Chrysemys picta picta took advantage of a strangely balmy day in Maine to soak up some sun. Two weeks ago there was a thin skim of ice on the pond.

Last frog of the season

See the tadpole here? Hope he makes it through the winter to become a singer in the spring!


Autumn's color dazzle has actually come and gone. I took these photos just last week, but a strong-winded storm raged through two nights ago, ripping the leaves from the trees. They now stand stark and gloomy. The pond has a blanket of leaves, too, rippling gently when the windmill produces rings of bubbles on the surface. The turtles and frogs will hibernate through the winter, and hopefully we will have good ice for skating.

Fluttering by

Mourning Cloak

Monarch

Black Swallowtail

Great Spangled Fritillary

These lovely creatures--little works of art-- flit near the pond, and stop for nectar in the flower garden nearby. The Mourning Cloak prefers tree sap to flowers, though.