Bona Dea Watersnake Update

Bona Dea was sunny, windy and very warm in the 90's. On Old Shorty Trail there was a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers in a tree. The male was sitting on a limb and just singing out very loud and continuous for its mate that was just hanging around pecking on the surrounding limbs in the same tree finding something to eat but the red headed male just stood in place calling out to his mate. There were Robins and Blue Jays and the short tailed Starling blackbirds flying around. Then at the spillway off swinging bridge trail, the fish were fed and for a change no turtle to steal the food. At the spillway drop off, I noticed a snake coming out from underneath. It looked to be a Midland Watersnake. It coiled up in a swallow pool of water and it say me and took off before I could take a good photo of it. This photo shows it as it was leaving out. It found a small hole in the bank close by and disappeared in there. Also a Common Baskettail Dragonfly insect landed close by in a bush. Just had to take its photo too. Looked for the Alligator and Big Raccoon but no luck. Did see a Red-spotted Purple butterfly. Have been seeing a lot of these at the park lately. The basking turtles were out in the water pools on logs. Cardinal birds were flying around and the females in particular. Pileated Woodpeckers were heard over across Prairie Creek. American Crows were flying overhead over Waldon Pond. Big Bullfrogs were again drumming on Goose Pond.