Summer in October at East Park

It was unseasonably warm today, we reached 22 oC, and the sun shone. I walked to East Park as the warmth in the air contrasted with the flocks of Redwings migrating overhead. A Little Egret flew over Beverley Road.

As I got to East Park I heard the Rooks calling from the oaks. Thousands of acorns carpeted the road, is a mast year, when oaks in an area produce a bumper crop of acorns. The Rooks will be busy visiting the oaks, filling their bills with acorns, and transporting them to cache somewhere else, as they don't come to the ground at East Park.

 

It was a surprise to find two Coot families with young chicks. Will they have enough time to raise them?

The parents were visiting regularly with tiny bits of food to offer the chicks.

There were two Cormorants in  the lake today. This one flapped its wings vigorously.

A female Gadwall was on the central island...

...with two Teal.

Two terrapins were enjoying the sunshine in the branch by the zoo island.

I like how they stretch their feet behind them when basking, they remind me of seals!

At some point five Migrant Hawkers were patrolling the boardwalk. The only dragonfly species I saw. No Willow Emeralds today.

This male stopped briefly.

I notice that the Water Lettuce that we spotted on the lake a month ago, is doing well and the clumps are spreading. Their tiny flower is visible in this one.

A growing clump of water lettuce. This is one of the worst invasive aquatic plants in tropical and subtropica areas, but it is not thought to be able to survive our winters, so when released it behaves like an annual. Lets hope that any seeds won't survive either.

One of the Great Crested Grebe parents with their young. The young were skorkelling and diving following the parents' behaviour.

A Comma, a Red Admiral, several Speckled Wood and two whites was the butterfly list today.

On the way back I visited the trunk at Rockford fields. There was a single Roesel's female basking. There were many Roesel's calling, more than Lomg-winged Coneheads. I spotted this make on his perch.

Speckled Wood.

This large terrapin was on the drain, watching me as I took her photo.