Highlights included: watching a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird nectar on jewelweed, Cedar Waxwings, Gray Catbirds, House Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds. I also took a photo of a proud fisherman showed off his catch, and I enjoyed snacking on some fresh blackberries and black raspberries.
Not a bad start to the day!
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird on jewelweed
Jewelweed
I recently learned that in high humidity, jewelweed releases excess water in its tissues by pumping it out through tiny openings at the edges of its leaves. What I thought was a collection of dew is actually the release of excess fluid. It is pretty!
This little beauty had sprung up right in the middle of the freshly mowed trail. I loved how the morning sun highlighted its delicate color and dewdrops!
Cedar Waxwing
This little beauty landed so close to me, and I struggled with getting my camera to focus on it. So, of course, it flew much further off before I could manage a photo!
mystery
Blackberry (delicious!)
Carolina Nightshade (non-native)
Nice catch!
This man had just caught a fish and I asked if I could take a photo. He wanted me to wait a minute, so I waited while he removed the lure. Then he started getting out a plastic bag and putting the fish into it. I thought maybe we had misunderstood each other (there was a language difference), but then he pulled an even larger fish out of the plastic bag for me to photograph!
Black raspberries (these were a little past their prime)
Eastern Bluebird
This week seems to be family week in my yard. I wasn't home for very long before I noticed two female Wild Turkeys with their respective only children in my backyard. They didn't stay long and I could only take a photo through the window before they disappeared into the woods. Nice to see, though! The photo captured one of the females and both of the young, and as you can see, they appear to be quite different in age, which is why I assumed that each mother was walking with one offspring.
Wild Turkeys
Other birds that treated me with a visit to my yard included:
Blue Jay
day-flying moth (ID TBD)
Northern Cardinal
I spent my lunch break at Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary. Highlights included:
Barn Swallow
(There were about a dozen of them flying around.)
Birch Polypore
Autumn Meadowhawks
I saw multiple pairs of these dragonflies bumping into things, backing up and bumping into things again. I asked on Facebook what they were doing. I learned that the female is in front and every time they "bump" into things, she is inserting an egg.
Mother Nature's mixed bouquet
(horehound, sundew, spaghnum, and more!)
Blue Dasher
Small-Flowered False Foxglove
Purple Milkwort (native)
Indian Pipe
After work, the wild turkeys were back. They took off for the woods as soon as I went outside, but I thought maybe if I stayed out there, quietly, they might come back. They didn't, but I did enjoy a lot of other wild creatures while I waited.
House Finch
Great Spangled Fritillary
This butterfly flew up into my oak tree and disappeared. I thought I caught a glimpse of color among the leaves and figure it had chosen its roost for the night. I had to walk around in order to find an opening where I could photograph it. It's pretty well protected (invisible) from all other angles.
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
(juvenile male - the spots are where his ruby throat feathers are coming in)
Underwing Moth
(can you see it?)
Underwing moths have very plain upper sides, but when their wings part, there are beautiful colors and patterns hidden below. You can just barely make out some of the orange coloring beneath this one's top wings. I happened to see it fly among the branches and was able to zoom in on it only because I saw exactly where it landed.
American Goldfinch
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