Friday morning.

A few miscellaneous photos for today.

This time of the year, the cluster flies are demanding to get in. Some years their numbers inside make for a setting that almost rivals a horror flick. Bernd Heinrich wrote about vacuuming up thousands in his camp here in Maine. And on those last warm days of autumn, the ones left outside,(and the ones inside,now clamoring to get back out), it's enough to drive a man nuts.

I noticed this one the night before. Holding fast and when I poked and prodded it, there was no sign of life.

I have seen numerous flies in the same position, stiff legged, abdomen raised, head down, wings canted up. Inside and out, I'll come across them. even on the windows, where if you look carefully, you will see a white bloom around the body on the glass. A hmm moment. It appears the flies have a fungus that has taken their life. I had read that recently, and now I can't find the source.

And the Snowshoe Hares are changing to white. It's not a problem when the snow is here, but they stick out when it's not.

Boreal chickadee

I have no problem with birds. They in fact come to me.

I like birds, they like me.

Except a certain paatridge.

Happenings

It's been a busy past week. First I was out in the woods, when I saw a large bird sitting on a lower limb. It was hunched over looking at something on the ground with it's back towards me. When I lifted my camera,the whir of the autofocus caused it to turn and look directly at me. I couldn't believe my eyes, staring back was a Great Gray Owl. They don't live here. At least they aren't supposed to, but here was one. Those yellow eyes, and that face, it was incredible.

So I spent a lot of time trying to see it again. I haven't and in a way, I'm happy with that. Sometimes you just need to know they are around.

I have been running into a lot of moose too. Today, I came across a cow and twins.

Gray Jay

Gray Jays are rather tame. Always looking out for a handout, aways entertaining.

Visitor from the North

It always happens. I take the dog for a walk, and see a bird. This time it was a Lapland Longspur, a bird from the north. They nest on the tundra and winter down in the states in open areas. As I was driving out this morning, he (or she) was at the end of my drive and very nicely sat still for me.

I am in awe of my lens. It's a Nikon 80-400 with antivibration . I had always been trained to use a tripod. It was so ingrained in me that I always used one. But I had also been trained to try different styles and techniques. Well the darn thing works. Hand held without support. Yep, it's a Lapland longspur!

First snow.

The weather system that has been dropping snow across the country finally got here.

The moose and other happenings.

Last week I stopped at a favorite spot on my way home form the post office, and while walking along the road, I heard a flurry of wings, saw a fair size raptor flying off. It was about that time that something fell. "What the ..." and there at the base of a spruce tree, was a dead robin. I could see a few drops of fresh blood.

Ten minutes later on my way out it was still there, and so was the hawk. I couldn't get a good enough look to identify it.

Today I was able to get out late this afternoon and the robin was gone.

But the moose was there.

If you never heard a bull moose calling, it's a weird,freaky noise. That's what told me a moose was ahead. Where was my camera? Back at the car.