The weather has been slow to move toward Fall even hitting the first couple of days of October. Our first real fall cold front is due this weekend with temps falling into the 70s. A welcomed relief from the 55 days of record breaking heat from August 16th. It was an early Sunday morning when I arrived at the lake. The trip was to confirm that the scouting party for the pelicans had arrived. They had. Numbering a few more than in years past, at 22-24 birds. I was talking to Northern Illinois this morning and it is still warm there. Once that cold front hits, no doubt, the birds will be on wing for sure.
The catalpa beans hang in droves over White Rock Creek where it flows into White Rock Lake from a sub-lesser watershed
crossing E.Lawther south of Poppy.
crossing E.Lawther south of Poppy.
favorite Sycamore leaves turning
My favorite Sycamore tree, a very old one at that, is still a landmark at the lake's edge with its beauty in the white bark and its massive size leaves. I measured one a few years back that was 17-inches across. While there are others around the lake that are distinct too, this one is the master of them all. I love this tree.
fall water fowl migration stated
The pelican scouting party is in the left corner on a couple of logs. I did see one in the water paddling around, but it is still in their nature to be doing what they are seen doing here for the time of day that it was. Later, they fish, then take to the air for a bit of exercise around the lake and then come gliding in like a 747, landing perfectly and then nap time. I have never seen them alter their routine in the 12-15 years that I have enjoyed having them in resident here at White Rock. Even the year of the big kill-off 11,000 of them 70 mph winds and from the hail storms that caught them off guard in Montana. There numbers were less a couple of years but they never changed their routine. Cormorants were also killed in that storm as were other birds. Some were maimed.
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