Nests, Flowers and Blueberries

Robin sitting on hatchlings in Euonymus alatus (Burning Bush) hedge.

Also in Euonymus, a Catbird nest.  So high up and back in the bush, while standing on a ladder I reached my arm straight up, pointing the camera at the nest to get the shot.

2 hatchlings in the Bluebird box

Detail of wing showing blue just coming in

Japanese Dogwood in full bloom

First Pearly Gates Rose of the season just coming into bud

Purple Dame Rocket planted itself near the Mary statue

Blue Crop Blueberry bush has fruit.  Must get netting on it soon to deter the birds!

Bumble Bee breakfasting on a Rhododendron

Light purple Dame Rocket planted itself at the garden gate

Male Bluebird

 

Wood Thrush and Carolina Wren

A Wood Thrush singing when a Carolina Wren cut in.

Please excuse the sad bench in the picture -- I'm in the process of taking it apart.

Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird

 Yesterday we saw our first male hummingbird of the season.  

Poor picture quality -- through a window and screen, at a distance.

Spotted Tussock Moth

Warming in the faint morning sun on the back bench --

Nests Check

 Robin nest on North side of the house --

Cardinal nest in Blue Spruce (1 Cardinal Egg / 2 Brown Headed Cowbird Eggs) --

Blue Bird nest in Blue Bird box on North side of the house --

Cardinal Nest

3 eggs -- but I suspect the 2 small ones may be Cowbirds.  We'll see.

Mourning Dove

 Taking flight -- caught on "security camera"

Harassed Red-Tailed Hawk

 Two Blue Jays mobbing a Red-Tailed Hawk perched near our bird-feeder.

Male Pileated Woodpecker

We've had some Pileated Woodpeckers flitting and calling about the neighborhood, but I have yet to get a picture of one.  On April 5, 2021 Alicia Tether got this great shot of a male dining in her back yard in Newburgh, NY.

Puffball Mushroom

 Oct 15, 2020 Puff Ball Mushroom in a neighbor's yard.  
(Walnut next to it for comparison)

[Thanks Kay]

Cricket and Cookies

Made cookies overnight --

     while a cricket sang from the back step.  Got his picture this morning.

Then harvested a bit of tomatoes and oregano before getting my Mom up for the day.

Lace Wing

On Buddleia

In chorus with Crickets

Male House Sparrow

Caught on "security camera" --

Raccoon

Set trap to see who had been digging at the gate -- got a healthy young raccoon back on Aug 12.  Released him that morning and haven't had any digging since.

Frogs

At the spigot --

On the Kitchen window --

Caterpillars & Sphinx Moth

Caterpillars on Rue plant.  

Black Swallowtail on left.  Giant Swallowtail on Right.

(There were even 3 more Giant Swallowtail caterpillars on another Rue.)

Clearwing Sphinx Moth lunching on Buddleia.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Tiger Swallowtail enjoying the buddleia before being runoff by a honeybee. 

Bunny

Bunny hiding on our back patio.

Baby Catbirds

Only 2 baby Catbirds left in the nest (below the kitchen window) out of 4 at the start.

One of their folks none too happy with the photo-shoot.

Canadian Geese

July 8, 2020 -- 9 Canadian Geese trying to get out of the neighborhood.

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.