Cottonwood copse, Killdeer, swampy pond.

[ferine]

Into the woods...>;-) We sat down on the opposite side of the trail for a spell, valiantly ignoring the mosquitos and gnats. The chorus of various birds and jovial bullfrogs was magnificent. Somewhere further back was the sound of large, slow animals periodically snapping twigs and rustling grass with their passage--undoubtedly mule deer.

A Killdeer! Killdeer are such happy little birds, with a striking call: "kill-DEE" (hence their name). I've heard them often, but this was my first time seeing one.

A swampy pond near the trail.

Another view of the swampy pond.