October

We have passed the middle of October. October in all its melancholy, perhaps the most melancholy month of all.

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Mendota Park, Dane Co, WI 15October2018

October, the month of many dismal rainy days and the first killing frost.

"The Gorge", Dane Co, WI 2October2018

A month of fading light, vitamin D deficiencies above 37° north and the annual rebirth of the Impossible Task.

Aster species, Goose Lake Conservation Area, 5October2018

October, the month of green and amber crimson senescence. Of temporary and permanent goodbyes. Of stolen lives and the Hunter's moon.

Merrill Springs Park, 13October2018

Half empty or half full? Full of sparrows and vagrants, Rufous hummingbirds and adrenaline.

Song Sparrow, Fitchburg, Dane Co, 14October2018.
With the crappy lighting, this is one of the few reasonable sparrow photos I've been able to muster this month

Ah the orange sparrows. I have missed you this month and maybe will forgo your delight this year. The time for Nelson's is nearly past. The window for Le Conte's will be closing soon as well. I have made a few half-hearted attempts to find these orange beauties.

Asters against a dismal October 5th sky...and no orange sparrows. Goose Lake Conservation Area, Dane Co

But life carries me in other directions and I would rather bird sans the agenda of a target species, sans the angst and sense of failure when those targets do not come to fruition. Nature's gifts are abundant and far more soothing if I let go of  attempting to will things into happening.

Looking for sparrows in all the wrong places...Dane Co, WI 9October2018

Wisconsin's resident Ruby-throated hummingbirds will soon be gone. They have already hit the eBird filter as seasonally rare. However as I write this, I have one hatch-year male persisting in my yard. The past few years have seen more ruby-throats lingering in Wisconsin later into October. Climate change? Nah, IT'S A HOAX! (Insert sarcasm)

HY male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, yard, 16Oct2018

Per eBird, Dane County is seeing its share of seasonally late migrants. Over the weekend I encountered a late Northern Waterthrush at Kettle Pond. And just yesterday, I found a late Bay-breasted Warbler in my yard. It was the first warbler to christen my newly installed water feature. No photo of the Bay-breasted. But here are some other birds who recently discovered the fruits of my labor.

Do-it-yourself water feature, Madison, Dane Co, WI 14October2018

White-throated Sparrow, my backyard water feature, Dane Co, WI 17October2018

Late last Friday night into early Saturday morning marked our first killing frost in Madison. With that frost came a significant leaf drop including from my highbush cranberry where a Marbled Orbweaver had been making its home.

Marbled Orbweaver, yard, Dane Co, WI 5Oct2018

Over the past week, each day seems to bring more White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and both kinglets into Wisconsin. In suitable habitat especially along the lakes, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers are common as well.

Palm Warbler, Fitchburg, Dane Co, WI 14October2018

The incessant rain has brought out the fungus. I'm not much of a mushroom person, but occasionally I am struck by the brilliant colors or whimsy of them. This patch was bursting with candy for my eyes.

Fungus, Kettle Pond, Dane Co, WI 13October2018

Perhaps one of the finer silver-linings of October are the islands of warmth among the bitter winds that howl, "winter is on its way." October 9th saw temperatures rise to nearly 80 degrees. With that blip of warm weather came that last push of butterflies. I saw multiple Monarchs and Orange Sulphurs flying that day while out during one of my feeble orange sparrow quests.

Monarch, Dorn Creek Wildlife Area, Dane Co, WI 9October2018 

Even finer are the sunsets of those golden days when the sun wins the war against the clouds. Or does it? Or could it be those magical sunsets are the symphony of compromise between the sun and clouds? You be the judge.

Governor Nelson State Park, Dane Co, 13October2018

Either way, per the words of an old musician friend, "sun is best when it sits in a barren tree..." I'd have to agree.