Red-Spotted Purples

Last year I had three buddleia plants (one self-seeded).  This year, I am down to one.  Guess the harsh winter took care of the other two.  Anyway, the one remaining plant is in a location that only gets sun late morning to early evening, so it tends to bloom later in the season, when there aren't as many nectaring choices around.  As a result, I get some nice butterflies in late August!

I had just stopped to stand and check all the blooms on the butterfly bush when a juvenile Ruby-Throated Hummingbird flew in to nectar.  Since I was already standing there, and stayed still, it didn't seem to mind my taking a few photos.  You can see that its throat is speckled where the ruby color will fill in next season.

Then, I was pleasantly surprised to find two (two!) Red-Spotted Purple butterflies, one at the buddleia and one in some gravel that my son had just raked yesterday.  Although these butterflies were slightly worn, it was still a pleasure to see them.  They really have beautiful wing colors and patterns.

Red-Spotted Purple

Great Spangled Fritillary

I stopped at the memorial on Route 30 in Southboro to check on their butterfly bushes and found 2 Peck's Skippers and one Hummingbird Moth.

Peck's Skipper

Hummingbird Moth

Next I stopped at Chestnut Hill Farm, which had just been freshly mowed. There were very little nectar sources left in the meadows, but I did find some just after the trail entered the woods.  

on the path

According to The Feather Atlas, a website of the US Fish & Wildlife Service, that is a male wild turkey tail feather.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Common Ground-Nut

Great Spangled Fritillary

Eastern Amberwing dragonfly

Back at home, in the garden:

Zabulon Skipper

In the evening, I took a short walk with Freddie at BHCL.  It had been a while since I had visited.  It was still quiet there, although I did add a new bird to my list:  Eastern Wood-Peewee.  We both heard its call, which was key to identifying it.

Eastern Wood Peewee

We also saw the following butterflies:

Common Ringlet 2
Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
Great Spangled Fritillary 2

Great Spangled Fritillary