Nelson Lake/Dick Young Marsh preserve

South Florida has continued to experience unusual quantities of rainfall. Getting out early, we sometimes had to curtail our wetland walks as storms approached. On the day before we departed, thunderstorms gathered on all sides. On our way back home via the gravel road an ominous "double mushroom thunderhead" had formed in the southeast, over the city of Miami:

 

The early morning sun created a startling rainbow effect:



Before the winds picked up, a Green Heron reflected from its perch on a little rock island:



Both days after we arrived at our second home in northeastern Illinois we took morning walks at nearby Nelson Lake, a Kane County Forest Preserve. On the first day we explored the eastern prairie and surrounding woodlands. The weather was pleasant but the birding was slow.



An observation deck overlooks the east side of the lake:



The view from the platform:



A Red-tailed Hawk flew towards us and passed right overhead:





A Savannah Sparrow flew up from the path and then settled on a small shrub. They are usually active and restless, but this one allowed a rather close approach. 





In the wooded area, photography was a bit of a challenge because of the dense foliage and dark shadows. This Downy Woodpecker was a case in point. My photos were soft but I liked the bokeh caused by the filtered light and the different postures assumed by the woodpecker as it foraged on some low-lying branches:

 



Yellow-Rumped Warblers are late migrants, and their arrival signaled that the best of the season had passed. It was difficult to pick them out among the leaves:





That night a cold front passed through. In mid-morning, after the rains let up we entered the preserve from the north We were not prepared for the cold 46 degrees  (~8 degrees Celsius), such a contrast from Florida's heat and humidity. A family group of Sandhill Cranes provided a nice photo opportunity.  The colt lacks the red forehead which distinguishes it from its parents:



They suddenly decided they did not appreciate our intrusion:







When birding is slow there is time to observe other items of interest and beauty, including colorful Milkweed Bugs:



It was very windy and there were few butterflies but plenty of flowers, such as these rich purple New England Asters:



A honeybee collected pollen from a Heath Aster...



...and a Yellow Jacket also visited: 



Our travel and temporary relocation have caused me to get terribly behind on correspondence, but rain is in the forecast and I hope to have more computer face time in the next few days. I will certainly be browsing all your great posts, and thank you for so many kind comments! (Now to make my Thursday morning deadline!) 

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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display

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