While some insects seem to be more prevalent this year (like wasps), the butterfly and moths numbers seem to be down and I haven’t spotted many of the hummingbird type moths like this White-lined Sphinx Moth. When I saw the first one as a kid, I did think it was a hummingbird with its wingspan up to three and half inches and the way it was hovering around the blossoms, but it was only a moth.
White-lined Sphinx Moth
It seems like autumn is rushing in after some rather hot days and then possible frost tonight. A wagon full of pumpkins is one sign of approaching autumn season.
Autumn Pumpkins
The blazing star blossoms add a pop of bright color amongst the other late season flowers. Several different varieties of blazing star are native to Wisconsin.
Blazing Star Blossoms
The are days getting shorter, but at least the weather remains fairly nice for some outdoor activates on the weekend, like a stroll on a beach.
Sunday Beach Stroll
It is hard to imagine that the little baby oriole that left the nest in late June has already flow south for the winter. The last oriole I spotted was a week ago and now it will be next May before the orioles return to my yard.
Little Oriole Gone
It was a nice autumn day for outdoor adventures, including adventures at town festivals, parks and museums, but those venturing to Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, will not be able to have an elephant ride or see Kelly and Viola performance under the big top tent today. The two elephants retired in August, 135 years after first elephant, Babylon and Fannie, came to Baraboo in 1888 as part of Ringling Bros Circus. Kelly and Viola will spend the remainder of their lives at Oklahoma’s Endangered Ark Foundation.
Elephant Leaving Circus World
There were some trees in August turning color already, although there is some orange color coming not from autumn leaves, but instead from the reddish-orange of the pomes of the Mountain Ash. The colorful fruit is a favorite food source for many birds which hang on into winter.
Mountain Ash Showing Red
On shore the Double-crested Cormorant looks a bit gangly, but they don’t look quite as prehistoric in the water. They are dark birds, but they have pretty aquamarine eyes on an orange face with a mouth that is bright blue inside (although I haven’t captured an image with their mouth open enough to see the blue mouth).
Double-crested Cormorant
There were some thunderstorms that moved through this evening, but the clouds weren’t as ominous looking as this storm front.
Ominous Clouds
With another holiday day with a heat index over 100, some people cooled off in the sixty degree waters at a Lake Superior beach.
Labor Day at the Beach
