Sanderlings roosting on the beach. They rest with their heads turned 180 degrees, with their beaks tucked into their feathers, and standing on one leg! #Birds

A cuckoo leafcutter bee visiting goldenrod #pollinators

This sanderling completely ignored the red-flag warning and jumped right into the surf #Birds

A lesser black-backed gull among the many herring gulls on the beach #Birds

A pair of semipalmated plovers hanging out on the beach #Birds

The winged pigweed is currently blooming on the beach in Lake County, adding magenta accents to the landscape. The entire tangle of tiny flowers grows from one stem. When the time is right, it will break off, allowing the plant to blow around in the wind and disperse its seeds. #Bloomscrolling

A black-bellied plover on the shore of Lake Michigan #Birds

A northern parula, looking a bit puffed up because it was a chilly morning #Birds

A black-throated green warbler, glimpsed through a tangle of branches #Birds

A red-eyed vireo near a bagworm cocoon #Birds

This eastern wood-pewee seems a bit sad that summer's officially over today. Presumably will be heading to South America soon, where it will be summer again before long. #Birds

Swainson's thrush #Birds

Wilson's warbler, presumably a first-fall male, because his trademark black chapeau hasn't come in fully yet. #Birds

Yellow-throated vireo #Birds

The great crested flycatcher caught a green stink bug for breakfast #Birds

American redstart, emerging from the dense foliage to pose nicely for a second #Birds

Suddenly there are wild asters everywhere. I guess summer really is over. #Bloomscrolling

Tennessee warbler dive #Birds

Nashville warbler flap #Birds

Northern parula on vocals, at Montrose Point during the golden hour #Birds

Great blue heron, onward and upward #Birds

Palm warbler found a late-summer caterpillar #Birds

Another day, another merlin. #Birds

Cape May warbler found a spider for breakfast #Birds

Wilson's snipe fly-by #Birds

Green-winged teal, zooming past at breakneck speed. They can do 60 mph and they accelerate unbelievably quickly. #Birds

When you lock eyes with the merlin #Birds

Merlin at Montrose #Birds

Redstart at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary #Birds

Red-legged grasshopper, taking a nectar break #invertebrates