Before the summer is officially over, and while there are still some beautiful butterflies hovering about, I thought I would take a few more pictures while I had the chance.
I know that autumn boasts a marvelous beauty all its own, but I’m still a little sad that these lovelies will soon be gone until another cycle of seasons has passed.
This handsome male Pine Warbler dropped in today.
It looks as if he is finished with his summer molting and beginning to show off his autumn glory.
He grabbed a quick bite of Bark Butter and then disappeared into the treetops, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing him around more often once the weather cools off a bit.
Having him around makes any day brighter!
The Grey Catbird is an occasional visitor to my backyard.
Like his Mockingbird cousin, he is a mimic with a hearty collection of calls, the most common being the mew-like sound of a cat from whence he gets his name.
This bird has an appetite for insects, berries, and of course…Bark Butter.
Though some might consider this monochrome mimic rather drab, he does have a dash of rusty red feathers tucked beneath his tail.
Personally, I’d say this fellow with the fancy fanny is actually quite dashing!
A Hooded Warbler, who is not a common visitor to my backyard, showed up over the weekend.
While this fellow was a delight to look at, he was difficult to photograph! Flighty and flitty, he stayed at the edge of the yard, hopping in and out of the woodpile in search of insects.
While I never could get close enough (or get him to come out in the open and sit still long enough!) to get a clear picture, I still enjoyed just watching this beautiful little bird.
It’s always fun to have a new guest!
Unlike the Tiger Swallowtail…
…or the Gulf Fritillary…
…both of which are bold and striking…
…the Long-tailed Skipper is a butterfly of subtle beauty.
Doesn’t he look lovely against the pastel petals of this gladiola?
The purple-blossomed beauty that lures Swallowtails and Fritillaries to the front yard is not just a butterfly bush…
…it’s also a hot-spot for the Hummingbirds!
One of the young Jays that frequents the backyard feeders has been learning the fine art of peanut packing!
He used to show up, quickly grab a single peanut, and then fly off to eat it elsewhere, but now he is sticking around and adding one nut after another.
He doesn’t quit adding peanuts until his beak is filled to the rim, and then I’m not quite sure he knows what to do with them.
I truly think he might have bitten off more than he can chew!
