November!

After taking my "extra" hour in sleeping late (set the clocks back an hour this morning) I rolled out for my Sunday morning bird walk. Yesterday another south wind blew in, with off-and-on light rain during the day and heavy rain at night, but it was WARM all day. The only birds around were the crows - lots of them. Today it's still windy, and a bit cooler, but with patchy sun and clouds.

meandering path along the Willimantic River
birders: only Sue - Jorge is still in Uruguay
birds:
Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, a pair
White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis, likely the same little flock
Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata
American Robin, Turdus migratorius
Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
heard a Black-capped Chickadee and an American Goldfinch
I also encountered evidence of a few mammals along the way. As I paused by the river to stand quietly and listen, I smelled strong animal smell nearby - looking down, there was evidence that a White-tailed Deer had been right where I was standing . Then, at the edge of the cornfield I found the remains of a Cottontail rabbit.

scat of White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus

tail of an Eastern Cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus floridanus

solitary Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta