Pre-Season

Last week we had such beautiful weather that I headed out to the Audubon nature reserve in Beechwood for the first time in almost a year. The reason for my "abstinence" was, of course, road work. I just couldn't seem to find a direct route to Fox Chapel that didn't include massive detours. Finally I decided to use backroads.
Unfortunately, it was quiet at Beechwood. Birds were in short supply, except for that one hawk circling overhead. There weren't even any Canada geese or mallards. In the end, I photographed a painted turtle sunning itself on a log in the pond.
At home we often hear the not too melodious call of blue jays. They seem to have had a good year. Occasionally I hear a pileated woodpecker. And the hummingbirds are still here, at least the females. It will probably take a weather change to force the migrants to fly south and the warblers to pass through our area.