It's my favorite time of the year.....the Trumpet Vines and Rose of Sharon shrubs are blooming and Hummingbirds are zooming about enjoying the blooms.
Something so peaceful and restorative sipping my coffee on the deck and watching these little birds. Yesterday, there were up to 6 at a time on the Trumpet Vines....all females. Their aerial battles were epic...some captured and posted below.
Meanwhile, the solitary male claimed the feeders as his territory.
It was a pleasant day to walk at Cedar Bog today. Always lots to see, but today I saw some lovely spiders...
This is the Dimorphic Jumping Spider (Maevia inclemens)
Lastly, here's Lined Orbweaver (Mangora gibberosa
Gracie and I took nice little hike today at Old Reid along Buck Creek. We had walked down the trail to the creek when I saw movement in some brush. After observing for a few minutes, the bird popped out ....it was a male Mourning Warbler. The Mourning Warbler passes through our area during migration...right now, he is on his way Canada and the most northern states for breeding. He winters in Central America. He's a hard bird to see and photograph....he's what's called a "skulking bird" meaning he stays deep in the brush and avoids revealing himself. He put on a show (as much as a Mourning Warbler will), although he did stay in the shaded brush....not optimal for clean photos due to the high iso, but still worth some pixels.
Some of our shots from Magee Marsh this week....
Wilson's Warbler
Black & White Warbler
An interesting encounter at Old Reid Park (Clark County) this morning. I was thrilled to see a Red-Headed Woodpecker at Old Reid. This is the first one I've seen there in all of my time spent there! As I watched, the Red-Head made his way down the tree line. He apparently came a bit too close to an American Robin nest, and Mama Robin wasn't too pleased. She came at him, claws out. Although this took place at a fairly long distance from my vehicle and shots were at high iso with the gray skies, I was pleased to get a few images of the interaction.
I was doing my walkabout at Cedar Bog today. The spring blooms are fabulous, but they weren't my favorite views today.
While traipsing along the creek, I caught some movement in the foliage along the bank, and saw a mink carrying what I initially thought was a rodent. I stood still and watched as she delivered it to a burrow in the bank.
She left immediately and returned with a second identical package.....and then repeated the trip with a third.
I was thinking that she was bringing prey to a litter, perhaps Muskrat kits....but upon closer inspection once I arrived home, it became apparent that she was actually moving her cubs to a new den!
