Birds and More at Tower Hill Botanic Garden

I visited Tower Hill Botanic Garden this morning.  It was such a beautiful fall day.  Towards the end of my visit, as I walked through the orchard, there were a lot of birds flying in and around the apple trees.  Of course, they took off for parts unknown as I walked through.  I decided to sit on the ground under the shade of an apple tree and wait and see if they'd get used to me and come back to the area.  They did!  I saw:  Eastern Phoebe, Gray Catbird, Chipping Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Mourning Dove, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Eastern Bluebird, House Finch and several fall warblers.  It was a nice place to sit and enjoy the blue sky and the occasional breeze.

Chipping Sparrow

Blue-Headed Vireo
(Thanks to Alan M. for help with ID)

Yellow-Throated Vireo
(Thanks to Alan M. for help with ID)

Mourning Dove

Gray Catbird

House Finch (I think)

This bird was sunbathing in the mulch.

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Bluebird

 Not sure about this one.  The bill looks thick enough to be a Grosbeak of some kind...
House Finch (male)
I read on All About Birds that male House Finches may be orange or yellow instead of red.

American Goldfinch raiding the sunflower seeds

Monarch

There were lots of Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds throughout the gardens today.  I saw three at once in the Secret Garden, one flew by me while I was sitting in the orchard, and I also saw one in the vegetable garden.  It was challenging and fun to try to get clear shots of them.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

again

and again

and again

and again

Portulaca "Pink Glow"

Monarch

Anemonopsis macrophylla

 Meadow Bottle Gentian

White Turtlehead

Slender Spreadwing

Shadow Darner

It seemed like there was an endless variety of beautiful things to photograph today.  A wonderful outing!  Four hours flew by so quickly!