Bona Dea Raccoon Update

Bona Dea was again sunny and warm today. All water levels were back to normal. I started out the trip old Old Shorty Trail. First off I noticed some Wild Indian Strawberry plants with fruit. I had taken some earlier this year with the yellow blooms. Now they are bearing bright red fruit. One of the 2 photos is a closeup showing a fully ripe fruit and then one still in the bud and then at the bottom and green bud. They are really pretty and all over this picnic area. Next up I saw this young Gray Squirrel. Actually there was this one and a sibling playing around with each other and eating. Then I saw this young Cottontail Rabbit eating grass. There were Boat tail Grackle birds in this area along with Robins. Warbler variety of birds were in the trees singing away. I then went over to Swinging Bridge Trail. I fed the Brim fish and the Red Eared Slider and then went over to old swinging bridge. On the way down the trail I looked and saw the biggest Raccoon I had ever seen in the wild. Before I could get my camera ready it had left the trail and then I spotted it going across Goose Pond. I managed to get this shot of its rear end. But when I first saw it, it was huge. I saw a lone Goose on the pond and took this photo of it. Then I saw a pretty Carolina Wren down on the bank. Pileated Woodpeckers were calling out to each other and other woodpeckers were pecking in the distance. As I was going out, I saw what appeared to be a pair of Eastern Kingbirds. They were flying around a lot and are supposed to be aggressive and protective of their territory. These seemed to be.American Crows were all over Old Shorty Trail and they kept coming back to the same spot on a broken off tree limb next to the trunk and looked like they were taking a drink. They would fly off before I could take a photo. A Green Heron flew over Waldon Pond and I saw a Great Blue Heron on the bank off Lake Dardanelle at the parking spot. I have not seen one in a while. Also Clift Swallows are flying all over the Lake. They nest under the highway overpasses in the area.