Saturday August 7th dawned cool, around 63 degrees. However, the temperature rose steadily, reaching about 85 degrees or more by mid-day. Hiking this morning was especially comfortable after the recent heatwave. I had several activities planned for the day, and took just an hour or so to walk through Washington Valley park from the Gilbride Road trail head.
The main highlights of this trip were the continued dry weather (dust blanketed most of the trail and had to be shaken out of my socks at the end of the day) and the two critters below.
I believe this is a Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris). He was hammering was at a dead pine tree. I caught just a few lucky shots as he worked his way upward to the very top.
Saturday morning, July 31st, dawned cool (63 degrees) and clear for the first time in several weeks. I visited Sandy Hook in Highlands, NJ with my family and enjoyed the fine, comfortable, weather on a beach with quiet surf.
While conditions were too cool for me to enjoy swimming, a long walk on the beach was possible in the pleasant (vs. baking) sunlight.
Seagulls (or Common Gulls) (Larus canus) pick a spot free of sun bathers and fisherman to hang out.
In the distance on South Beach, the ongoing bridge/road construction project looms in the distance.
On Sunday, I enjoyed a walk in Colonial Park, in Franklin, NJ. I am fond of Colonial Park due to the large amount of birds, fish, snails and reptiles that abound there. On almost every trip, I capture a new photo of an interesting species.
With the lack of rain this season, duckweed quite covers every stretch of water.
The area has become redolent of swampy smells due to the stagnant water. I found that certain spots are quite stinky now. Large muddy beaches have formed due to the low waterline. Broken shells of snails and even some large, freshwater clams litter the fermenting earth.
Above is an interesting bird that looks just like a Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes). While my field guides indicate their typical range is throughout Canada, I can confirm the bird looked just like the picture on the Cornell Lab Ornithology website.
On Saturday, July 24th, I walked a familiar trail in Washington Valley Park, beginning at the Gilbride Road parking area. At around 9am, the temperature was already up around 80 degrees, and heading upwards quickly. 
The sun was very bright, and appeared almost white in several photos I took.
A Green frog (Rana clamitans) lounges in the shadows.
Not many critters were out this morning, and I noticed the light seemed different from my usual hiking time (right around noon). The shadows were longer here and there as the sun was not so high in the sky.
The light was just reaching the tips of the trees over the trail leading to the Hawk Watch platform.
I was feeling artistic as I headed back down the trail after viewing the falls.
The best fishing spots in several parks are marked by "Christmas ornaments" like the one above - lost floats from fishermen catching a line on a branch. 
As I drove into the park yesterday, I wondered how many critters hang out in the slope leading down from the roadway to the water. The trail runs right along the river, so the area between remains undisturbed.
A Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) feather along the side of the trail. Since just the one feather was present, hopefully the rest of the jay is intact somewhere.
I noticed that many trees appear dry, and dead leaves litter the undergrowth - just like fall!
This morning, I made it down the shore to Sandy Hook, a part of Gateway National Recreation Area in Highlands, NJ. At 8:30am, the sun was out the day wasn't too hot just yet. My companion and I started out at Horseshoe Cove, a spot on the bay side well out along the hook of Sandy Hook.
Interesting stuff is always swimming by or lying in remnants along the sand here.
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The main highlights of this trip were the continued dry weather (dust blanketed most of the trail and had to be shaken out of my socks at the end of the day) and the two critters below.
I believe this is a Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris). He was hammering was at a dead pine tree. I caught just a few lucky shots as he worked his way upward to the very top.
Many leaves have fallen in the park, many of them colored just like fall.
I believe this is a Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon). It was about one foot long and swam through the water as I passed by on the trail.
Every water course is very shallow and teeming with fish, polliwogs, frogs and all kinds of life. Despite the low waterline, I felt the park had as much if not more water as the last time I was there. I hope to reach the shore a few more times before the rest of August flies by.
