Eastern Kingbird

Once I'm out of the woods and over on the slopes at Roundtop, the summer habitat is like a grassland. The slopes are covered with Queen Anne's lace, brown-eyed susan's, Dutchman's breeches, etc. The birds that hang out there tend to be grassland species as well, like this Eastern Kingbird that I snapped yesterday sitting on a chairlift cable. Roundtop doesn't usually have many of this species but there's always one family group and sometimes two. I love the woodland birds but I also enjoy seeing something different every now and again.

The oppressive weather has broken, at least for the moment, leaving the sky crystal clear and the animals more active. Last night as I drove back to the cabin after dark, I saw a doe by the side of the road. Fortunately she didn't try to cross as I passed, A fox flirted with the far edge of my headlights, too far to even tell if it was a red or a gray, though more likely a red. This morning, the vultures were up with the dawn, as was a red-tailed hawk and 11 Canada geese. The animals appreciate the cooler weather at least as much as I do.