Side-Tracked in September

...Nothing scatter-brained about me, ha...I didn't finish posting photos from the 7th when I moved on to photos from the 10th for my last post..... oopsie ...

Thanks for the inquiries re: daughter...the Huz and I decided to dash down to Denver a day early...we'd planned to meet up with my BIL and the three of us spend some time with our daughter, who lives there...daughter injured her knee and was in the hospital overnight due to an infection in a 'pocket' just below the kneecap, so Huz and I drove down to get her out of hospital, etc. We ended up bringing her home for a few days...was going to be longer but duh, she needed to go back for a week-later follow-up with the Ortho., so I had to take her back down again (it's six hours ea way...the Huz and BIL were off to Idaho...via Yellowstone I might add); I took dtr to her appt the next day and then came back home...she is healing well....soooo, ANYwho....

Back to the 7th...this kestrel was too far for a real clear shot...perched on a dead tree branch in a field E of the Hills in the grasslands/farming community...

The grasshopper sparrows were still around too...

Next I drove to the Ft. Meade rec area, the last stop as I make my way N on this photo route...there's a small camping and picnicking area, where a bird feeder was being heavily visited by red-breasted nuthatches, chickadees, and dark-eyed juncos...all very elusive to the camera...boy, I did try!

From the camp area there's a nature trail that goes up the hill into a field....A wasp-y type on goldenrod...it's amazing how many different kinds of bee/wasp-like insects there are...if you aren't paying attn. you won't realize what you think you're seeing is actually something else...

A skipper on fading catnip...

Back in the camp area, this busy squirrel apparently didn't see me standing still....I didn't see it either until it was just a few feet away...hello! Who will move first...eventually the squirrel did.

Leaving the camp area, this stubborn fellow was planted in the middle of the parking area...of course I won the game of 'chicken'...

I did the usual stop further down the FMRA road at a trail where I'd seen the golden eagle on my previous visit...this day a hairy woodpecker was busy pecking...he ignored me but I still couldn't get decent shots due to the harsh light/shadows...

A large fawn was spooked into view from I-don't-know-where, when I headed back to my car...like all deer, it stopped to look back at the intruder...blinking at me from a field of dead bee balm.