On Saturday, in spite of the cloudy skies and recent rains, my friend Ed and I drove down to Emiquon. We stopped to take photos of the flowers in the prairie by the newly formed pond where TNC is raising fish.
A dog from the nearby farm decided to come see what we were up too, and get a few pets. Following the dog was the tiniest little kitten. Another farm cat stayed behind, but the little kitten followed that dog, crying for attention from the dog, but hiding from me when I approached.
The prairie flowers are in various stages of bloom.
Rabbits of all sizes were on both sides of Prairie Road.
A beautiful yellow male Goldfinch kept his eye on me as he pulled seeds from the thistle.
From Mud Road the view of Sister Creeks Farm appears under a film of haze. Humidity was close to 100%.
Pelicans, Egrets, and Herons are camouflaged out on the lake.
A Wood Duck swam in the waters near the levee.
A Blue-winged Teal swam out in the cattails.
In the distance, against a berm we could see what at first seemed to be a group of gulls, but on closer inspection, through the lens, looked like tiny egrets.
As we grew closer I could see that it was a group of at least 14 Cattle Egrets!
A single Double-crested Cormorant swam in the water in front of the egrets.
Swallows of all types were swooping over the lake scooping up flying insects. A group of them kept flying in and out of a tree along the canal by Pumphouse Road.
Several dragonflies were cruising and hunting and driving off other dragonflies along Pumphouse Road. Only two would stop for a photo opportunity.
Halloween Penant
Eastern Amber Wing:
A Common Sooty Wing Skipper posed for me briefly.
Orange Sulphur Butterflies were abundant.
Thompson Lake is heading towards the Spoon River, but will remain on the north side of the levee.
Dickcissels could be heard singing every where we went.
And an adult Black-crowned Night-heron was wading near the levee. This is the closest I have ever been to one of these elusive and endangered birds!
Several female Wood Ducks had broods of various sizes. One had 14 ducklings, another had only four.
