October Reflections and Birds #SkywatchFriday

Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary on the border between Dryden and Ithaca, New York has some 220 acres of woods and wetlands which are easy to hike-flat and well kept. Owned by Cornell University, this sanctuary is part of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, owned by Cornell University.  This birding hotspot is free to the public and includes a wonderful Visitors Center that just reopened after having been closed since COVID-19 arrived.

Wednesday, spouse and I visited Sapsucker Woods to do some hiking and birding. A vast variety of birds can be seen there, including the once uncommon (to our area) yellow bellied sapsucker. (Thanks to climate change, you can see these at the site, along with several other woodpeckers.) The day started out crisp (and warmer than usual - we are back to our unseasonable warm weather).  The sky was clear blue, although it didn't stay that way for long.

It was a wonderful location to engage in some reflection photography.

There are several ponds on the trails. The trees are only now starting to change color.

Reflection in one of the wetlands.

Some of the many trees felled by beavers; you can see some other tree reflections in the water.

A tree that has almost completely lost its leaves - it might be a maple that caught a disease common this wet year to maples.  Sadly, there was also a lot of evidence of dead ash trees, which are succumbing to a blight.  I was trying to get a picture of a downy woodpecker working this tree but I didn't succeed.

You won't see any bird pictures - we were too busy enjoying the hike.

We saw various birds - Canada geese, black capped chickadees, downy woodpeckers, a woodpecker we think may have been a hairy woodpecker, blue jays, and more, while hiking the trails.  It was such a beautiful day.

Cayuga Lake, on the way home.

Joining up with Yogi and other skywatchers at #SkywatchFriday.