American Goldfinch

Goldfinch cleaning the seeds off flower heads in the butterfly garden.

The Kinglets are back!

The hyperactive little Kinglets have been in the yard for about a week now but I was finally able to catch up with a few of them today.  The Golden-crowned Kinglet is pictured above and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet is in the photo below.

Pectoral Sandpiper

The Pectoral Sandpiper breeds on the arctic tundra in summer and winters in South America.

Farewell to Summer

Leaves begin to fall.

The days grow cool.

Mother Earth pulls her mantle close.

The great Sun sails toward the West.

Land of eternal enchantment,

wrapped in cool nights.

Fruits ripen and seeds drip.

Hours of daylight and darkness are balanced.

In this seeming extinction of nature's power,
I know that life continues.

For spring is impossible without the harvest,

as surely as life is impossible without death.

~ anonymous

Gray-cheeked Thrush

This is another migrant passing through Western New York.  The Gray-cheeked Thrush breeds in Alaska and far northern Canada in the summer and spends the winter in a southern range that runs from Panama to Brazil.  I was extremely lucky to get these shots since this shy bird tends to hide in thick brush.

Hints of Autumn

Arkwright Hills Sunset

Painted Lady Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly

Another Monarch butterfly seen in our yard yesterday.  This is a big deal since their population is estimated to have dropped by 90% in the last few years.

Black-throated Green Warbler

Fishing Spider

These very large spiders catch fish and aquatic insects.  They actually hunt for their prey and do not spin webs.  This one was basking on a rock in the middle of a creek.

Late Summer Sun

Semipalmated Plover

Monarch Butterfly on Solidago (Goldenrod)

Ovenbird

These chunky little warblers are quietly migrating out of the area and heading for their winter homes in Florida, the Caribbean Islands and Latin America.  Some will venture as far south as Colombia and Venezuela.

Full Harvest Moon

The full Harvest Moon as seen from the Arkwright Hills this evening.

Mourning Doves

On a morning stroll down the sidewalk...

Sunset Afterglow in Dunkirk Harbor

The actual sunset wasn't too bad either!

Double-crested Cormorants

The word "Cormorant" means sea crow but I think they are more like sea clowns!  They are excellent divers and fun to watch.

Dunkirk Lighthouse

Lighthouse in Dunkirk, New York as viewed from Lake Erie.

Bald Eagles in the trees along the shoreline.