October and November, Two of the Best Months of the Year

 

There are many reasons to appreciate Autumn, not the least of which are the opportunities for wildlife observations...

 

Those who follow my blog likely have noticed a reoccurring theme...water. Nothing can live without it, so finding a place to observe a stream or pond can greatly enhance the chance of seeing wildlife. 

Wildlife see motor vehicles regularly and usually are not alarmed by my presence...

Even when it is clear that I am there...

I watched this fox squirrel cross the creek several times...

Finally, I was able to see what it was eating...

The seeds of a maple tree...

Autumn allows one to observe the transition of the whitetail deer...

From family units of a doe with her off spring...

To more frequent sightings of solitary animals...

I enjoy the birds that come to drink or bathe or catch breakfast...

The tiny ruby-crowned kinglet is hard to photograph because it is rarely still for very long...

Next is a white-breasted nuthatch...

A house finch...

A tufted titmouse appears regularly...

My bird reference guide says that this is a swamp sparrow...

The same guide says that the next image is a white-throated sparrow. I have to admit that they look so similar that I can't tell them apart...

The pileated woodpecker is often heard but rarely seen...

One of my favorite birds to visit this spot is the wild turkey...

It's even better when the whole flock stops to drink...

November signals the whitetail deer mating season and is the best opportunity to photograph a buck...

Like young males of many species they have to test each other...

Bucks begin to cruise about searching for females...

Only the most dominant bucks will get to breed...

Or the most persistent...

This mature buck has an unusual set of antlers...

The peaceful days of autumn are coming to an end...

 

Even in this land of plenty all of the creatures in the natural world will have to work a little harder to survive...

Thanks for visiting, be well, and come back soon.