Monthly Archives: October 2024

Dorothy at Ploughmans

Photograph taken on Thursday, October 03, 2024 by Henry
Dorothy at Ploughmans

Dorothy at Ploughmans

Cathy and I left work early and drove up to Gettysburg this afternoon. We went to Dorothy’s house first and then a little later to downtown Gettysburg where Dorothy and Andrew would be playing this evening at Ploughmans Taproom. There were to be two sets, with Dorothy on stage by herself for the first and then with Andrew joining her for the second. She played two covers (Miner’s Lullaby, by Utah Phips and All My Tears, by Emmylou Harris) but the majority of her songs were original. I recorded all of the first set but only a couple from the second, when I took a few pictures instead. This image is a frame from a song called Lemon Creek, which we really enjoyed.

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Anna’s Art Show

Photograph taken on Friday, October 04, 2024 by Henry
Anna, Carolyn, and Chuck

Anna, Carolyn, and Chuck

Having spent the night in Pennsylvania with Dorothy and her housemates, we went to a show of Anna’s art at Waldo’s in Gettysburg this evening. She’s a talented artist and has done work in a wide variety of media. I especially likes some ink drawings she did and a piece of wood burning, an image of a tree on a slab of maple. Her parents, Carolyn and Chuck also came and we always enjoy seeing and chatting with them. She also had some very nice stained glass creations. If you’re interested in her work, you can contact her through her Instagram account or through The Hartley Residence.

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Romanian Christian Enterprises

Photograph taken on Saturday, October 05, 2024 by Henry
David and Erin at RCA Banquet

David and Erin at RCA Banquet

We were happy to attend a banquet this evening for Romanian Christian Enterprises. Our dear friend Erin, pictured here with her husband David and their tablemates, has recently joined RCA as their Director of Development. This is a wonderful organization that’s been around since 1992, bringing “help and hope to poor families and abandoned children with special needs through its education, poverty prevention and placement programs.” If you’re looking for a charity for some year-end giving, please take a look at their Website—https://www.rcenterprises.org/—and give generously. If you want more information, there are email addresses and phone numbers on their Contact Us page. Feel free to tell Erin I said hello.

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Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris​)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 06, 2024 by Henry
Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris​)

Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris​)

Cathy and I walked to Blockhouse Point today and then drove to Pennyfield Lock and walked downstream about a mile. We didn’t see a lot of wildlife but did see a few ducks and turtles, including these northern red-bellied cooters (Pseudemys rubriventris​). From Blockhouse Point we saw a State Police helicopter circling the Potomac River. We learned later that they were looking for some stranded fishermen. Everyone was successfully retrieved, mostly be boat. It’s not the most dangerous part of the river but there are some significant currents if you aren’t careful (and depending on the height of the river).

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Croyden Creek

Photograph taken on Saturday, October 12, 2024 by Henry
Croyden Creek

Croyden Creek

We went for a walk on Croyden Creek today. It isn’t necessarily the prettiest time of the year, but it’s great to be outdoors. We’ve had a dry summer and had a particularly dry September, when we normally get a good bit of rain, so the creek is quite low and there’s a fair amount of brown everywhere. Of course by the second week of October, things are starting to turn brown most years, but this year more than usual, I think. Still, there’s a fair amount of green on the trees. We didn’t see any birds or other wildlife, but mostly it’s about being in the woods.

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Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Photograph taken on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 by Henry
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

We had heard this hawk a few times and early this afternoon it flew past our house and landed in the tree in our back yard. I got a few shots from the front but was shooting through branches so those photos aren’t very good. This one isn’t great, because of the shadow across part of the bird’s head, but it’s still pretty good, I guess. I think this is a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) and Merlin agrees with me, although I’m not certain about the identification and if anyone seeing this knows better, let me know. It could be a broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus), as well. According to Audubon, neither is common in our area.

We enjoy seeing animals in our yard and of course it’s those animals that attract birds of prey. I certainly don’t mind giving up a rabbit or two for birds like this. I’m only sorry they can’t carry off the deer that do so much damage to my roses.

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Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Four days ago I posted a photo of what I identified as a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) or possibly a broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus) taken in our back yard. Today I got a photo of what may be the same bird on a street sign. This is a much better view of the bird and I love the colors with the green of the sign and the yellow leaves in the background. Anyway, I still think it’s a red-shoulderd hawk but still am not sure, being no expert. We were getting ready to go for a walk when we saw this, so I’ve got three more bird pictures to come, both from that walk. Stay tuned.

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Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

As mentioned in my previous post of the red-shouldered hawk on the street sign, we went to Lake Frank this afternoon. We hadn’t planned to walk as far as we did but ended up walking all the way around the lake. We saw two great blue herons (Ardea herodias). The first one was across the lake so I wasn’t able to get any good photos of that. Shortly after stopping to look at it, though, this one flew across in front of us. I didn’t have much time to focus, zoom, or frame the shot and was glad to get what I did. The very blue color of the bird has more to do with it being in the shadows than it’s natural coloring (per its name).

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Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

On the southeast part of Lake Frank is an old boat ramp from when the lake had road access to vehicles. Near that is a very tall oak tree. We’ve see one or the other of our local bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in that tree on more than one occasion. We saw it today, first from across the lake and then, when we got to that part of the trail from below. It was easier to spot, frankly, from across the lake. When you get close, you sort of have to know where to look. The best view turned out to be through the crook of this closer tree.

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Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)

Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)

One more bird photo from our walk around Lake Frank today. As we crossed the dam at the south end of the lake we saw this bird on a tree with fall colors reflected off the water behind it. I’m assuming it’s a double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum). Regardless, I’m fond of this photo. Looking back I didn’t take many pictures in October and those I took were concentrated on just a few days. Our lives are just that way right now, I guess. I take what I can get.

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