I left for the birding outing as the sun came up.

Forest Park was at its most beautiful….

I enjoyed the grasses on fire with the morning sun:

I watched a HAIRY WOODPECKER for a while: I reached the Fish Hatchery: Jim Wilson gathered us all together, while conferring with Brenda Hente: We enjoyed the walk... We went over a piece of heritage ...the Victorian Bridge: We saw several GREEN HERONS like this one, alert for breakfast: This GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER: We raised a "chai toast" to Jim Wilson, who's moving on to a new phase of life: NORTHERN FLICKER foraging: http://youtu.be/zYFETVl2sng AMERICAN ROBIN with an outsize worm. During the walk, we were also delighted by other beings... this LOBELIA CARDINALIA: a VICEROY The Viceroy is a look-alike of the Monarch, and saves itself from predation by looking like a butterfly which is toxic to predators. The very name, "Viceroy", means "instead of the king"...and so, it was fitting that we saw this instead of the Monarch! Scenes such as this were soothing to the eye... The bird list: Cardinal, Northern Dove, Mourning Flicker, Northern Flycatcher, Great Crested Gnat-catcher, Blue-gray Grackle, Common Heron, Green Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Mallard Mockingbird, Northern (heard) Pigeon, Blue Rock (is that what it is called here, too?) Robin, American Sparrow, House Starling, Common Wren, Un id Wood Duck Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Un id

As Jim gave me a ride home, I spotted this tiny spider on his rear-view mirror, and clicked it while we waited at a traffic signal!

Lots more photos, if you are inclined to see them, on my FaceBook album,

here

Thank you, St.Louis birders, for another pleasant morning.