First Merlin sighting of the Fall Raptor Season, October 9th. Here the bird is eying a male American Kestrel on the next tree over (subject of a later post). Intent on a passing songbird. In pursuit. (Unsuccessfully.) First Red-shouldered Hawk of the season, October 12th. (This is a juvenile.)

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For such a vocal species, they sure are shy. I haven’t been able to get very close to the last few Belted Kingfishers to visit Sylvan Water. This one kept flying to the other side of the pond whenever people got anywhere near. Here he’s on the pond’s island.

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A mating pair… on October 8th. Seems mighty late. Same day, near by: a Carolina Mantis eating an adult male. (Stagmomanantis carolina, unlike most of the mantids found here, is a native species.) The live ones, however, outnumbered the dead 8-to-1 out there at Averne East. Last Monarch sighting: October 13th (no picture).

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Found dead, unfortunately: a Feather-legged Scoliid Wasp/Dielis plumipes plumipes, at Arverne East, one of the few places they’ve been found in NYC. A close-up of the feathery leg. These feed their young scarab beetle larvae. Ammophila pictipennis dusted with a bit of pollen. Adults eat nectar and hunt caterpillars for their young. Aerial yellowjacket nest,…

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Vespa crabro, the European Hornet, was introduced to North America by the 1840s. It seems to have naturalized. This time of year, bunches of males are on the wing, waiting for females. This is a scrum of several males around around a (larger) female, hoping to mate. One succeeds. They’re attached for a few minutes.…

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Across the street in the early morning. This one was jockeying with a crow for pole position on field lights: This one was being chased around by another male and a couple of Blue Jays.

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Let’s get closer… Eggs. Nymphs. Baby stink bugs?

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Some late summer and early fall butterflies.

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