Alleged equinox

According to the newspaper the time today from sunrise to sunset was 12 hours and 9 minutes, 6:53am-7:02pm.  Greenwich defined it as equal illumination on either side of the Equator which might provide a little elbow room than equal day and night.  In any case, astronomical Autumn has begun with a new moon, so it is also Rosh Hashanah and the beginning of the year 5786.  In other news, titmice and chickadees rushed for breakfast.  The sky was milky with haze which, no doubt, kept the air cool despite the sun.  In the afternoon,I swam in 75° water and 75° air which chilled me somewhat.  While swimming, I saw a brown thrasher hunting in the grass.  A brown headed nuthatch visited the feeder in the late afternoon, but I wasn't fast enough.  A Carolina wren dined on suet, thanks to K.  Birds fluttered in the pine but I think they were all chickadees.   

While swimming, I saved a full grown skink, a couple of field crickets, a handful of beetles, and one assassin nymph.  The skink was very tired and hid rather than running away.  A foolish cricket hopped right in front of the skink which didn't even move.  The orchard spider had moved its web a few inches and was easier to photograph.  I could not find the spider that left its sack of eggs on the rosebush.  The one by the window was the only one in sight.  All the chrysalises were intact.