Amazing August

Usually the heat and humidity are insufferable but the past week has been very pleasant.  It even made the squirrels frisky - when I got up they were having sex in the dogwood.  The hummers emptied their feeder yesterday so K rehung it with fresh this morning.

The squalling young house finch was back.  Goldfinches checked in but didn't stay.  The hummers continued to feed and fight.  Like them, a cardinal and a dove were undeterred by our presence outside. 

Green June beetles were back annoying the ants.  I saw a Carolina saddlebags cruising overhead and slaty skimmers on perches.  Small dark butterflies did a mating dance while swallowtails bobbed above.  I saw a hairstreak and a skipper as well.  A few skinks ventured out.

In the morning the male house finch was still feeding his offspring but in the afternoon he was over it.  The fledgling would have been more convincingly pathetic if it wasn't feeding itself.