Monarch

 Just over a year since I've been able to get on here, and appropriately I have a Monarch on our Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) to get re-started.  Unlike last year's Monarch, this one looks fresh and ready for migration.

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Monarch Butterfly

 Yesterday I briefly caught a bedraggled faded Monarch Butterfly to bring inside and show my mother.  When I released him, he languidly flew off to the South.

Gladioli

Only a few Gladioli are blooming, but they're lovely.

Geese, Squirrel

 2 unfortunately blurry shots:

A total of 10 geese were lost in our neighborhood this morning.

A female squirrel walking away with a mouthful of pine-needles to line her nest in a Hemlock tree next to the North side of our house -- right near where the Bald-faced Hornet nest was.

Hummingbird, Sphinx Moth, Catbird Hatchlings, Doe

Female Hummingbird feeding on Monarda.

 Sphinx Moth feeding on Buddleia.

2 Catbird hatchlings in nest by the front door.

From our house we could see a doe chewing cud in our nice neighbors' back yard.

Bluebird Hatchlings, Bald-Face Hornet Nest, Flowers

 Second brood for Bluebirds.  2 Hatchlings and 1 unhatched egg.

Bald-Face Hornet nest on the North side of the house.

Lily with Hosta

Rose of Sharon

Echinacea and Catbird Hatchling

 Pale Echinacea 

One egg has hatched in the Catbird nest by the front door.

Clouds

 Gorgeous clouds yesterday.

Cardinal Song, Catbird Eggs, Blueberries & Lots of Flowers

 Singing Male Cardinal perched on our chimney at 5 AM could clearly be heard throughout the house.

Some people have Roosters....

(Sound recording)

Catbirds have a new nest by our front door.

Blue-crop Blueberry "bush" has fruit starting to ripen

Lots of flowers blooming --

Day-lilies

Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Trumpet Vine

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

Black-eyed Susan (Marmalade-type)

Sage

Daisies

Lamium (Dead-nettle)

Monarda (Bee-Balm)

Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)

Translucent Umbrella Mushrooms

 A few ephemeral Coprinopsis lagopus in wood chips under the rose-trellis.

Doe & Fawns

 Doe with 2 fawns feeding in our back yard early this morning.

Flowers

Hollyhocks  (They planted themselves.)

Butterfly Weed

Rose Campion (Another self-planter)

Patio Begonia

Hydrangea

Fawns

 Yesterday morning 2 fawns were frolicking about the yard.

Morning dew on Bleeding Heart leaves

Groundhog

 Groundhog is about -- better watch the gardens!

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