A cool day in July…

It was a nice cool morning and a good thing that I could wear long pants and sleeves because man-o-man the mosquitos are getting thick out there! I sprayed insect repellent straight on my face after getting bit in my eyebrow! Luckily, I thought to close my eyes first. At least I stayed out of the water this time.

The light was better than yesterday, which helped me get a little better picture by the boat launch of the juvenile spotted sandpiper we saw yesterday.

After doing my best with the sandpiper, I heard the call of a belted kingfisher down stream, and I took a look just in time to catch this scene. That’s a male (upper left without a “chestnut belly band”) delivering a nice, big, fresh fish to a young female (lower right with a “chestnut belly band”). That’s a sweet father-daughter moment, eh?

I watched him deliver fish twice, and then I tried to move down river myself for a better shot. He called once in a while, but he never came back before I gave up. I did have a much better shot, but she seemed just as tired of waiting as I was. You know how teenagers get when waiting for food, right?

The good news is that I was treated to this spectacle for my troubles. Canada geese! Remember them?

Meanwhile, back on shore, the parade of blossoms continues. From left/top to right/bottom, we’ve got what appears to be fairy wand, blazing-star, devil’s bit, false unicorn, or helonias (Chamaelirium luteum) below the beer garden; and wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) by the boat launch, similar to but pinker than the cutleaf teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus) the we saw last week.

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Common evening-primrose (Oenothera biennis) is blooming in several places, especially along the Oak Leaf trail; and tall hairy agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala) is blooming along the river south of the falls.

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Finally, these bees are really digging this sow thistle in bloom by the southern entrance from Wilson Drive.

Enjoy this break in the heat, because I hear it will be returning soon.