A Week of Wildlife: October 15- 20, 2018

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation.

​Acts 4:24 -- "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,"

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Monday, October 15 - Gray overcast morning. Slight breeze over the pond.

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. A few showers just before sunset and a brilliant double rainbow completely arched the eastern sky.
Sunrise Today:7:38 am
Sunset Today: 6:59 pm
Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 20 minutes (-2m 1s)
Moon: 42% Waxing Crescent

Monday, October 15, 2018 9:30 AM - Large groups of twenty or more Canada Geese have been returning to the main retention pond each morning. Walton County, GA.

Monday, October 15, 2018 - a beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk sits perched upon a snag in the neighborhood green space across from my home. Clarke County, GA.

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Wednesday, October 17

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. 
Sunrise Today:7:40 am
Sunset Today: 6:56 pm
Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 16 minutes (-2m 1s)
Moon: 59% Waxing Gibbous

Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the thickets just outside my office back door. Walton County, GA.

Fall migration has brought back the Tennessee Warblers to Walton County, GA.

House Wren - not a life bird for me, but a photo first for Walton County, GA.

Two members of the mimidae family sit side-by-side; Brown Thrasher and Northern Mockingbird. Walton County, GA.

A Pine Warbler appropriately trilling from a pine tree; Walton County, GA.

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Thursday, October 18, 2018
While on an evening walk (7:40 PM), I heard a Barred Owl call twice from in the woods next to my neighborhood. 

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Sunrise Today:7:41 am
Sunset Today: 6:55 pm
Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 14 minutes (-2m)
Moon: 67.2% Waxing Gibbous

Another early appearance of the Yellow-rumped Warblers; Walton County, GA.

Another early appearance of the Yellow-rumped Warblers; Walton County, GA.

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Friday, October 19
A chilly 55 degrees at sunrise. Once again, a large gaggle of geese gathered on the main retention pond for about 30 minutes. 

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 72.
Sunrise Today:7:41 am; Sunset Today: 6:54 pm
Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 12 minutes (-2m)
Moon: 75% Waxing Gibbous; Moonrise Today: 4:30 pm

The Canada Geese have been gathering each morning on the main shelter pond. Walton County, GA.

The Canada Geese have been gathering each morning on the main shelter pond. Walton County, GA.

The Canada Geese have been gathering each morning on the main shelter pond. Walton County, GA.

A Chipping Sparrow illuminated by the golden rays of sunrise. Walton County, GA.

After about 30 minutes of swimming and dabbling, the Canada Geese took flight and left the main pond. Walton County, GA.

Another Tennessee Warbler seen on a short birding walk before leaving the shelter for the day; Walton County, GA.

What a picture of fall! Reds and golds of the turning leaves create a fall backdrop for the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker woodpecker. Walton County, GA.

The typical five or six Chipping Sparrows in my backyard (Clarke County, GA) has now grown to over fifteen visitors at a time.

The call of the Northern Flicker, not a typical sound throughout the summer, now rings from several spots across the meadow and surrounding woods. At least three individuals are frequenting my backyard area. Clarke County, GA.