The journey down the Razorback Greenway has finally reached Benton County. Almost halfway! Only 20 or so miles to go. I’d started to fear this quiet leg of the trail would be a relative bust for some fresh shots, but then Lake Springdale popped up around the last bend, right across the county line, and saved the day.

This last one isn’t from the trail, but I have to share it. I was walking around my apartment complex a little before sunrise and looking up at the purple clouds when I noticed birds flying south. They weren’t in an orderly V formation like geese; instead they flew at least a hundred feet from each other, moving like black flecks of ash drifting from a huge fire. They filled the sky by the thousands, ranging from just above the top of the apartment buildings to the limit of my eyesight, tiny specks in every direction. And they were silent. I had never seen anything quite like it. I’d like to learn what kind of birds they were, but Google hasn’t cracked the mystery yet. An hour or so later they were gone, and the sky was clear.

Every black speck here is a bird. They’re a bit hard to see here, so opening the photo in another tab might help.

Happy November! Thanks for looking.