Urban Nature Pictures 11/21

[urbpan]

A tiny spider runs along the edge of an interpretive sign at the trails at Newbridge on the Charles, a monstrous and modern-looking old folks home complex. We wandered there by mistake, after going into the Whitcomb Woods section of Wilson Mountain Reservation.




Alexis noticed this even tinier fly on the same signage, potential prey for the spider. Those big plumose antennae make me think this is a male midge, or close relative.


The Newbridge has outfitted their trails with screened gazebos. This one has a nice view of the Charles.


This decapitated songbird (chickadee? junco?) suggests to me that there are small owls hunting here.

As usual, Alexis has much better pictures from our day, that actually show how the place looked.

Comments

[deathling.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking the headless birdie might could have been a Boreal Chickadee. I think you're at the southernmost area of their range.

They're supposedly larger than your normal dee-dee-dees.

Good thought

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I've never seen one, but one was videoed about 12 miles from this place, on November 9th of this year:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=mattpgarvey#p/u/0/OiKD8IuTEeY