Turkeys

2 Tom Turkeys stopped by to wish me a Happy Birthday.  :)

Wren & Nestling Catbirds

Wren busily cleaning out "wren-house" for a second nesting.  

Something happened to the first batch of 6 eggs so it looks like he's going to try again.

3 Baby Catbirds in the Euonymus Hedge.

Yellow Flag Iris

So glad they planted themselves.  Yet another lovely invasive.

Golden Tortoise Beetle

A Golden Tortoise Beetle quickly shifted from gold to brown when I took its picture. 

"... golden tortoise beetles aren’t always so golden. In fact, they can change color depending on the season or even their mood using the liquid beneath their transparent shell. Underneath the shell are three layers of cuticle, each covered in tiny nooks and crannies that appear smooth when covered with liquid, and reflect light perfectly like a mirror. But when a golden tortoise beetle is agitated or under attack from a predator, it contracts the spaces between the layers of cuticle and forces liquid out of the grooves — doing away with the iridescence and usually revealing a brownish-orange color."  from baynature.org.

Poults

A neighbor was visited by a Hen Turkey and her 4 poults yesterday.

(Thanks Kay for the pics)

Iris

On May 30, 2020 an Iris was glowing from the sunset.

Dame Rocket

What I thought was Tall Phlox I have found out to really be an invasive, Dame Rocket.

The plants have as many petals as their names:  Dame = 4, Phlox = 5.

Not a native flower, but pretty none the less.

Gladioli & Toad

Gladioli just getting started.

Our yearly Toad popped out of the dirt while I was amending the soil in the garage garden.

Cardinal

Male Cardinal flying over driveway

Snow -- May 9, 2020

May 9, 2020 we had snow --

At 1 AM

Then again around 6 PM

Baby plants nestled inside while the storm passes --

(Thanks Shauna)

Red Fox & Male Hummingbird

Yesterday the security camera caught a Red Fox dashing across the driveway around 730 AM.

And today we saw our first male Hummingbird at the feeder.

4 Garter Snakes

4 Garter Snakes nestled on top of a bush by the front door.

Tough to get photo and video due to the sun's glare on the camera's viewfinder.

Sleet

We had sleet for about an hour this afternoon.

Forsythia

Need to mention the forsythia -- they've been gorgeous this year everywhere we've gone.

This pic taken April 4, 2020.

Tulips & Garter Snakes

Tulips are looking lovely.

And the Garter Snakes are back in the bushes out front.

Snow

Winter doesn't want to go.

Snow

Lovely Spring snow-shower today.

Carolina anole

Another critter from my sister's place in Raleigh, NC -- 

a Carolina anole -- just hanging out atop my sister's wind-chime.

Bunny

Sept 13 set Hav-A-Heart trap to see who was getting into the garden:

got a bunny.

Just couldn't decide which pic is better, so posted 'em both.

Fox

Another belated photo -- 

Fox pic taken in neighbor's yard back in June.

(Thanks Shauna!)

Moth and Marbled Orb Weaver

Moth and Spider after a night of rain.

Female Marbled Orb Weaver (Araneus marmoreus)

Pale Tussock Moth Caterpillar

By the back door.  Possibly a Pale Tussock Moth Caterpillar.  

(Halysidota tessellaris)

Grasshopper / Wood Frog / Walking Stick / Leaf Hopper / Baby Squirrel / Racing Pigeon

Been falling behind posting pics, so here's a cascade of my procrastinations --

Sept 9, 2019   Grasshopper at Morning Glory  

 Aug 21, 2019   Wood Frog who had fallen into the rain barrel  

Aug 23, 2019   A Walking Stick taken off the back screen  

Aug 24, 2019   Pretty Moth on back screen-door  

Aug 16, 2019   Leaf Hopper on siding of the house  

Baby Squirrel found on the driveway at my sister's in NC.  

(Was returned to the base of the tree from which it fell)

June 8, 2019    A banded Racing Pigeon found dead on the street outside our house.

(Checked security camera: while the bird was walking in the street a car hit it  -- serious bummer)

  (Thanks for the heads-up Shauna)

Garter Snake in cellar

Had to escort a wee Garter Snake out of the cellar today.

Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth Larva

A Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth Larva 

(Spodoptera ornithogalli) visited our cherry tomatoes.

Giant Swallowtail Caterpillars

Found 5 Giant Swallowtail caterpillars on Rue plants 
in the Play-Area Butterfly Nursery.

Strutting Turkey

While on a brief walk around the neighborhood with Mom two days ago, we saw this Tom Turkey strutting   A hen was watching from across the street.

Bit blurry as was rushing to get the shot before the turkey dropped his feathers.

Spider Webs

Cutting across our neighbors' lawns to tend to some potted veggies I spotted spider webs. 

This web was over 5 feet tall.

The blurry tan figure on the left is a deer wondering what I'm doing.

In this close-up I see the face of a bird on the spider's back.

Cottonwood Snow

Not a great video, but on Memorial Day a local Cottonwood tree was making flurries.

Cardinal Chick rescue

Yesterday I wrested the baby Cardinal away from a black cat! Popped the chick in a compost cup I was carrying and snapped this pic before returning the baby to the nest.  

The 2 other eggs remain unhatched.

Phoebe call

A pair of Phoebe flitting about in the White Oak.

(Not a great video, but their tispy call can be heard despite a vocal Robin.)

Robins Nesting

This is a screen-grab from an Arlo-camera neighbors have set up in a Boxwood Bush by their front door.  These neighbors also have a second Robin's nest in another bush, not far from this one.

(Thanks for the pics Gunther.)