Hot Hot Heat

Well, the tide was up when I got to Holden Creek this evening so there was no wandering around the marshes for me.
In fairness, I gave it my best shot but the creek was deeper than my wellies, so to speak.
So I had to content myself with staying in dry land and 'scoping the seemingly shorebird-free vista before me. Pah.
Although the place was waderless, as far as I was concerned, there was a bit of stuff going on to keep me  entertained for a while.
There were plenty of post-breeding gatherings - house and purple finches, mingling with the large starling flocks in the dead hawthorns, and quite a build-up of cowbirds with around 20 birds present.

The first belted kingfisher I've seen here for a while posed nicely, gasping for breath in the soaring temperatures.  
And I finally got a shot of the chaser-like dragonfly shown here - apparently a common whitetail. I've seen a few of these dazzling beasties, and several other wicked looking odanata, just lately.