This is another 2-visit post – from September 2nd and a week later on the 9th. There was a lot more happening on September 2nd but yesterday’s visit to Riverside produced a surprise or two, so I’m including it. The American Goldfinch at the top of the post was in my front yard when I left the house, but maybe it’s surprising too as it didn’t leave but instead allowed me to take its picture.

Just as some birding acquaintances had mentioned they weren’t seeing Red-winged Blackbirds anymore, easily 100 or more blackbirds in a mixed flock of Red-wingeds and Common Grackles descended on Riverside that morning.

Even more surprising later was a hail of acorns falling onto me, the trail, and everywhere when I was walking the trail in Riverside Lawn. Below is a video as I tried to capture some of the craziness of birds landing and hopping in two big oak trees, causing the acorns to fall. The birds – Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles – don’t eat acorns, so I can only surmise they were having fun.

It was hard to get a decent shot of the acorns on the ground. But I managed to capture a chipmunk and its stuffed cheeks with my cell phone.

There was a small but nice selection of warblers on the 2nd. I was actually able to capture an American Redstart or two. One thing I like about the photograph below is that it shows off this bird’s rictal bristles, which I thought, like many others, had something to do with catching insects. However that assumption has been challenged and I found a brief article by Dr. Roger Lederer interesting. Still, it’s nice to see the bird’s whiskers.

I think I saw my last Golden-winged Warbler on the 2nd. Below are photos of what appears to be a female Golden-winged Warbler. Nice of her to show off her prize in the last photo.

I also saw a Wilson’s Warbler that morning close to the paved walk along the river. Wilson is one of my favorites.

Also in the Queen Anne’s Lace was a lovely Tennessee Warbler. After this fall I have become a big fan of Queen Anne’s Lace.

Wait – a few more warblers, and then back to surprises. Here’s a very nice Black-throated Green Warbler I saw that day. Another one of my all-time favorite subjects.

And a Cape May Warbler.

And a Magnolia Warbler…

And one more Tennessee Warbler.

Where were we? Mourning Doves like to pose as if they are part of a frieze.

Also on the 2nd, an Osprey made a brief appearance, the light playing with its backlit silhouette.

Congratulations for making it this far. I think we’re about halfway there. This looks like a brand new Northern Cardinal.

Swainson’s Thrushes have been easy to see now for a couple weeks.

Below is a Hairy Woodpecker. I don’t see these as often as the Downies so, hail Hairy.

Delighting to the song of an Eastern Pewee all summer but rarely seeing one, it was great to see this bird well, if briefly, on the 2nd.

And young Gray Catbirds are not shy.

The Common Grackles have been bathing and sipping water on the rocks all summer. I think I know how this feels when the pool is closed for a week – let’s get those last luxurious baths in before we have to leave.

When I went back to Riverside on the 9th, I was a little surprised to see several species other than the Common Grackles on the rocks. The water is a little shallower now.

At some point on the Riverside Lawn trail there’s a tree with these glorious Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms (Laetiporus sulphureus) growing. I am not tempted but I have read they are edible.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about this Magnolia Warbler yesterday is that it was the only warbler I saw well enough to photograph.

The Killdeer were still on the rocks by the former Hofmann Dam.

The biggest surprise yesterday was to see perhaps a dozen Double-crested Cormorants flying overhead in formation.

I’m sure the reason why I’m seeing more Mourning Doves lately is simply because there are more of them. I am quite fond of these birds, as it was one in particular who first alerted me to the fact that birds sing in key with music.

And the American Goldfinches are busy weaning their young. The juvenile on the left was begging for a handout but his dad held firm and eventually left him on the branch alone.

Monarch migration continues.

A pleasant surprise was to see a Belted Kingfisher well enough to photograph. I had just emerged from within the woods and had forgotten to adjust my exposure to sunnier conditions so these photos are a bit overexposed. I hear these guys a lot but don’t always see them well, so this was a treat.

I will be back with more. We have a choir party/rehearsal this afternoon and we sing tomorrow morning. I have been ripening avocados so I can use one of my serrano chiles to make guacamole for the party. It looks like we will have rain tomorrow and through Monday morning, so I will be busy indoors. We will cool off a bit too. Feeling more and more like fall.