...Is it Halloween?

Well, of course it isn't Halloween - are you nuts? However, it is a Halloween Pennant dragonfly! I saw my first of these several weeks ago and have been hoping to see another one ... and today was my lucky day! I was up at o-dark-hundred and had a nice walk in the park, then back home for some work, then back out this afternoon. I headed back to the park, dowsed myself in DEET (the ticks here are voracious!) and headed through the woods to a meadow that has been fruitful for butterflies and dragons recently.

And then, less than a mile in, I spotted the Halloween Pennant, sitting right along side the trail! I immediately went into stealth mode (one that would have made Vodkaman proud) and crept slowly towards my subject. Who moved just as I got in camera range ... of course. Thus began about 5 minutes of creeping and stalking. I got quite a few shots, most blurry or otherwise displeasing, and a few keepers like this one. Go BIGGER to see his hairy legs!

Other things I saw along the trail...

Tiny Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly - no bigger than a nickel

Orange sulpher butterfly, trying to blend in

Daddy long legs sunning himself (Eek)

Widow Skimmer Dragon

Randolph the blue-nosed dragon (seriously, I have no idea what kind it is, but it's cute!)

water lily, reflected in the pond

I also nearly stepped on a small snake on the trail. Don't tell anyone, but I screamed like a girl. Very embarrassing. I am just a little unnerved by things that can move that fast without any legs.

Thank you soooo much for the overwhelming response to my daddy woodpecker and little Junior yesterday. Thanks to all the favorites and stars and comments, they made the Spotlight for awhile today, and they are also on page two of Favourites! Today Dad was taking suet up to a nearby tree branch where Junior waited patiently. Hopefully they will visit the feeding station again soon. I am also hoping the red-bellied woodpeckers bring their babies around soon - I don't think they've fledged yet, but soon... Meanwhile, the chickadee gang is still traveling together, getting into mischief as only the young can do.

Oh, and breaking news! I got my new trail cam today - I am finally going to find out once and for all what is coming on my deck at night!!! Stay tuned! (And yes, my hubs thinks I'm mad...)