Early autumn random clicks

Our local Bald Eagles are spending much time at their nest and stepping up "nestoration" in preparation for the breeding season. The male of the pair (Pride) brings in the sticks and the female (Jewel) supervises and rearranges them in the ever-growing nest structure.



He places the stick under Jewel's watchful eyes:



They don't always agree on what to do with one:





Pride flies off to gather yet another:



As we walked into the Wounded Wetlands under a black sky on September 26, the Harvest Moon had waned to a crescent:



Before sunrise, an immature Tricolored Heron cast a reflection on the still surface:



Later, White Ibises overhead:



Migration routes for 118 bird species:

via GIPHY

Migrant warblers are arriving. This is a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. This species often lingers here into the winter if the berries of Lantana, Firebush, Brazilian Pepper and Trema are abundant:



The male Black-throated Blue Warbler's appearance is distinctly different:

 

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers often flock with the warblers:



A welcome, though less frequently seen migrant is the Worm-eating Warbler:





This species does not eat earthworms, but does favor dining on caterpillars ("worms" to gardeners and farmers; some have official names such as silkworms and bagworms). Their sharp eyes seem not to miss many:

:

Worm-eating Warbler eating Worm (Not quite a palindrome, but it reads the same backward and forward, and in this case, upside  down!):



American Redstart warblers are distractingly abundant as they flit actively  through the  branches, fanning and expanding the  bright wing and tail patches to flush out insects. The male has bright red patches...



...while females exhibit the same behavior and have more subdued yellow patches. First year males are similar to females, but show some orange as in this case:

 
 
Butterfly populations are starting to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma, which wiped out adults, larvae, eggs as well as the leaves and flowers which protected and fed them. Some mornings I was lucky to see even one Gulf Fritillary, here depositing her egg on a spent flower head:

:

I followed her as she oviposited on a leaf. The egg is yellow:



I went weeks without seeing the usually abundant Julia heliconians. This newly-emerged male made me want to sing:



Just after the autumnal equinox, as I stood on a path oriented east and west (which I call "Sundial Alley"), my shadow pointed out towards the Everglades, 270 degrees true west :



It is only a  "weed." This tiny composite flower measures only about 1/2 inch, or about 13 mm wide, but proves that beauty can come in  a very small package:





I looked up when I heard something in the tree just above my head. Indeed, two  Raccoons were lovey-dovey and waiting for me to depart the scene:


 

A female White-tailed Deer walked across the gravel path...



...followed by her yearling fawn:




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Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue

Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh

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

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