Skunk and Tulips

 Signs of Spring...

  

Skunk running across our driveway at 6:45 this morning.

Tulips just starting to pop out of the ground.

Lost puppy

 While mowing yesterday, I discovered a wee Chihuahua sitting statue-like on the Northside of the property.  Long story short, after an hour the police finally arrived at the same time the dog's owner showed up walking down the street posting lost-dog signs.  All's well that ends well.

Cabbage White refusal

 On Sept. 13, 2025 around 3:30 pm a female Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) was doing a refusal posture on a Japanese Andromeda out front of our house to a very insistent male.  He finally gave up and she rested.

Hummingbirds

Back on June 16, 2025, our security camera recorded 2 hummingbirds fighting around the hummingbird sugar-water feeder.

Doe with Fawn

 Back on June 11, 2025 -- a new fawn

Spotted Lantern Fly Nymph

 Found this Lycorma delicatula  late stage nymph on a Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) on our front porch this morning.  Disposed of the insect with soapy water -- too bad such a beautiful creature is so destructive.

There  is an excellent brief overview of the insect's life cycle on the Mt Cuba Center website:  https://mtcubacenter.org/the-life-cycle-of-the-spotted-lanternfly/

Robins in May

On the West side of the house in a Barberry Bush:

May 15, 2025 -- 2 have hatched, and one just pecking out.

May 23, 2025 -- All 4 have hatched and almost ready to fledge.

And....On the North side property in a wild rose bush.......

Also on May 23, 2025 -- Another Robin's nest with 4 pristine eggs.

Tulip-tree Beauty Moth

 A large Tulip-tree Beauty Moth (Epimecis hortaria) resting on our screened-in porch.

Robin's Eggs

Bird-nest in a Barberry Bush by the kitchen sink window on the West side of our house.

Rooftop Canada Geese

 Two Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) landed on our neighbor's roof this morning and settled in.

Peacock Fly

 Back on June 4, 2024 we had a Peacock Fly (Callopistromyia annulipes) strutting around on out back porch railing

6 Point Buck

 Around 7:30 AM on Oct. 13, 2024 we had a 6 Point wandering around our backyard. 

The photos were taken with my flip phone, so they're not the best.

Aurora Borealis

 Saw the Northern Lights last night around 7:30 pm after Alicia called to tell that they could be seen.  I called our neighbor Lenore -- she took this nifty photo from our driveway.

Tufted titmouse

 A Baeolophus bicolor caught peeking in by the "security camera".

Pileated Woodpeckers

 2 males in a territorial dispute.

They hopped around a lot, posing.

Hopped and posed some more.

Still hopping and posing.

Finally a FedEx truck barreled down our street startling the birds.  

Flying to a tree, they had a brief skirmish before flying off.

Katydid

  Fork Tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia fucata) --

 basking in the late afternoon sunlight on our kitchen window.

Large Maple Spanworm Moth

A ragged Prochoerodes lineola on the wall by our backdoor last night.

Cicada

 Cicada resting at the Lily Garden.

Poults

 Hen with 5 poults.

Painted Turtle

Today,  when I checked why the Catbird and the Robin were avoiding our ground birdbath (garbage can lid),  I discovered a Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta).  

After he climbed out, I put him in a cage briefly to get some close-up shots.

He was not amused...

Female Baltimore Oriole

Wish I could have gotten closer --

 Female Oriole picking apart weed-block fabric threads for her nest.

Rabbit

 First rabbit of the season caught on the security camera around dusk this evening.

Fox

This morning around 6:45 AM, a wee fox came hunting through our yard as I was in the kitchen making chocolate zucchini muffins for Mom.

(The video is a bit shaky as I had to be on tiptoe reaching over the sink to see out the window.)

Tulip Time

 Time for Tulips, Daffodils, and Sunsets