Cooper's Hawk

 

This is an immature male Cooper's hawk. A breeze is ruffling its breast feathers. The eyes are yellow, indicating it's a first year bird, so this might be its first migration. Next year, the eyes will be orange, and when fully adult, red. 

Here's another picture of the same bird. I saw it at Cape May Point last week. The New Jersey Audubon Society calls Cape May Point the "raptor capital of North America." It's a world-famous place to watch migrating hawks in autumn.  The shape of New Jersey naturally funnels southbound migrating birds toward the point. Many linger there, waiting for favorable conditions to continue on across the wide Delaware Bay. On peak days, several thousand hawks have been counted by observers for the Cape May Hawkwatch, which is operated by New Jersey Audubon. Click to enlarge. 

Birdwatching Yesterday

I went birdwatching at Forsythe Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey yesterday. It's beautiful there in autumn. Click to enlarge.  

This lovely great egret stood still long enough for a photo. I love it when the water is still enough to reflect the long, graceful neck. 

There were lots of bufflehead ducks. Look at this handsome line following the adult male in front. 

I saw my favorite little duck, the green-winged teal. Here are two males. 

A shiny common grackle. Chattering as usual. 

There are woods in the refuge near the marsh. I took this nice sandy trail into the woods. 

And came back out on this one. A quote from Nathaniel Hawthorn seems to fit here: "I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."

Boxelder Bugs

 

I was out of my home territory yesterday, visiting West Deptford, N.J., close to the Delaware River. It was marshy and although I did not see them, I know there were lots of boxelder trees nearby. I know because I saw their namesake insect -- the boxelder bug. Behold, above. This was more of an event than it sounds, because I'd never seen one before. As if to make up for lost time, I saw thousands of them yesterday. Click to enlarge.

I saw them on cars and walls, a lot of them, clustering especially on white backgrounds. They were sitting in the sunshine, seeking warmth. It's their yearly autumn swarm, during which they look for warm places to overwinter. They'll try to get inside buildings, but will settle for any sheltered nook. After spending the winter dormant, they'll again emerge in spring. I'd never seen them because there were no boxelder trees in my neighborhood; they eat mainly the leaves flowers and seeds of boxelders and do not stray far from them. 

Autumn Leaves

No thoughts today, just colored leaves. 

Click to enlarge. 

Take the yellow path. 

But do not touch the poison ivy, pretty though it may be. 

Goodbye, Halloween. Let November begin! 

Happy Halloween!

 

Halloween's coming. Candy's on the menu. BONE appétit! Click to enlarge.

Windfall Caterpillar

 

I find some of my best caterpillars on boardwalks under trees on windy days. They get blown from the tree and fall onto the contrasting surface of the boardwalk where they stand out. This one is a catalpa sphinx moth caterpillar, Ceratomia catalpae. I found in one windy day last week on a boardwalk under -- you guessed it -- a catalpa tree. Click to enlarge.

The leaves have not yet fallen from the catalpa trees in my neighborhood. That's lucky for this caterpillar because catalpa leaves are all it eats. It is even sometimes called a catalpa worm. The tree and its caterpillar are native to the eastern United States. When I was a child, we called catalpa trees Johnny Smoker trees for their long, cigar-shaped seed pods.  

The caterpillar is facing left. Notice the long black horn rising from its rear end. 

The horn is just for looks; it does not sting. It is thought to be a visual defense that makes the caterpillar look dangerous to would-be predators. It works for me. The next stage for this caterpillar is to make its way to the ground. It will burrow down and form a pupa, within which it will remain dormant through the winter. Maybe it wasn't blown out of the tree, after all, just wending its way along the boardwalk, looking for some nice dirt to pupate in?

Urban Wildlife

 

Urban wildlife sighting in Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. Click to enlarge.

Squirrel evolution has reached the Age of Picnic Tables.

Around the corner. The cat wants to come in. 

Out all night. Still looking fabulous. 

Nearby, a horse-head hitching post for your horse. 

While meanwhile in South Jersey...