I love November. Maybe because the first snowflakes typically fall. Maybe because the air is crisper (except for last week, that is). Maybe because the days are shorter and I love being embraced by darkness.

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Maybe because the color palette is all its own after the reds and oranges and yellows of October and before the white and gray and evergreen of December.

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Maybe because we might have one last chance to visit this special place before the gates are closed on the forest road for winter.

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Maybe because we get to see Mergansers swim and dive and fly and slide into a landing over and over again.

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Maybe because if we look closely, we might just spy a Bullfrog tadpole swimming.

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Maybe because in the middle of our looking here, there, and everywhere for a moose, or some otters, or even a beaver family, we may suddenly spy a little red flyer.

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No maybes about it because this Autumn Meadowhawk took a while, but eventually let me coax it onto my hand today. Why is it still flying? Maybe because we did have a warm up this past week, though the past two mornings Jack Frost has visited. Whatever the reason, it certainly took us by surprise on this November day.

NOTE: previously, the latest I’ve seen a meadowhawk fly was Nov 4, 2019.