Walking along a familiar path at one of my favorite patches, I saw a funny looking lump on a branch. It was mostly obscured by leaves and branches and I couldn't quite make out what it was - a bit bird-like, but... just not sure.
A look through my binoculars showed that the lump was pale brown on top and white underneath. A cuckoo??? I circumvented the tree in a wide berth and got a better angle and a bit closer look. Sure enough, it was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. What a treat at this late date. I'm guessing this was probably the same cuckoo I saw a couple of times earlier in the month, maybe just reluctant to leave for warmer climes.
A couple of other birds I saw this day were a Gray-cheeked Thrush and a Black-bellied Plover along the shore of the beach. How will our winter be? I asked the Wooly Bear caterpillar I saw along a path but he wouldn't commit either way!