Fallscape

Autumn hues flow through the trees throughout the month of October. It is a great time to take a stroll along the lake. Eye catching colors create vivid reflections in the water as  you walk. Nothing like a cool, crisp view of fall colors rippling across the lake’s surface as the fallen leaves crunch and swish between your feet. Top the view with a comfortable sweater and you are set for a very enjoyable hike.

While enjoying the sea of vibrant autumn colors in the trees look for migrating visitors like the yellow-rumped warbler and white-crowned sparrow.  Many birds feed close to the waters edge. We were blessed with views of sweet pair of pied billed grebe, in addition to american goldfinch, robins, cedar waxwings, yellow-rumped warblers, and an eastern phoebe.

 American goldfinch and black-capped chickadee can be seen in autumn’s tawny prairie foliage enjoying the dried out seed heads. American flicker and hermit thrush may be seen on the ground searching for their next meal. Thrushes rustle among the dried and fallen leaves looking for insects while flickers like to search in grassy areas for ants and bugs.

I really enjoyed watching this adorable young eastern wood pewee as it flew from one perch to another while hunting for bugs at Lake Shabbona. He had two favorite perches while I watched. One was a stick laying in the grass and the other was a wire fence that surrounded the trunk of a tree. He flew back and forth between snacks for quite a while. Sure put a smile on my face watching him.

Above fall colors can’t help but welcome you. Branches sway. Autumn shades mix and mingle as they flow with the breeze. Below a treat, sweet dear quietly forage along the ground.  It is really very peaceful and so beautiful at Lake Shabbona this time of year.

Lake Shabbona has been putting on quite a colorful show this fall.
Get out there and enjoy the view! It’s worth the trip.

 

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