Today’s local dreamscape courtesy of the Esther Currier Wildlife Management Area at Low Plain. It’s an interesting place to walk, almost all flat except the side routes to the bird blinds, with a large pond, a smaller pond, several vernal pools, an overlook, grassy areas and woodsy areas, migrating birds and water birds, and often frogs, turtles, snakes, newts, and other reptiles and amphibians.

The fall colours peaked a week or two but they’re still vibrant, especially the yellow-orange beeches.

Recent rains during our drought mean a little sogginess on the trail and a little puddling but not nearly as much as usual in this low-lying natural area.

usually there’s water pooled around this boardwalk bridge but not today

a little puddle on an adjacent driveway at the end of the trail

this was about the only puddle on the trail itself

Beaver Pond is looking very blue:

Here’s why they call it Beaver Pond:

The pond hosts two bird blinds for hunters or bird-watchers.

Didn’t see any birds from the blinds — though often there are herons and kingfishers, sometimes ducks or mergansers — but there were a bunch of myrtle warblers coming through and feeding on goldenrod seeds at the overlook; unfortunately, I had only my phone and couldn’t get good photos from a distance. Can you see it?