After the storm

July certainly went out with a bang.  Enough rain fell that we had to pump down the pool and clear out a lot of leaves and pine needles.  Across the creek, a motorboat had sunk.  Water gushed out of the dam outfall which attracted a lot of egrets, both great and snowy.  Later a little green heron and a great blue heron fished there.

A male goldfinch landed on the feeder hanger but did not stay.  I heard it all morning as it flew around.  Titmice did stay along with the usual seed eaters.  A hummer came to the door to get a refilled feeder.  She also sampled the rosemary and lavender.  At least two hummers disputed territory.  Robins were back for more cherries. 

Dragonflies were everywhere.  Blue dashers and slaty skimmers had all the good perches when more dragonflies flew up from the creek and tried to take their spots.  Saddlebags didn't bother perching but stayed aloft.  Butterflies were fewer, but I saw black and tiger swallowtails and a tattered lady.  I couldn't tell if it was an American or a painted lady.  I rescued a couple of green Virginia Metallic tiger beetles and a honeybee from the water.  A skink walked down the wall.  The orb weaver in the spartina survived the storm and afternoon sunshine revealed is as an Argiope. 

A stiff wind from the Southwest shoved fair weather cumulus across the sky.  It persuaded the birds to leave the cherries and hunt in the grass instead.  A brown thrasher landed outside the window but then it saw me.  A grackle walked around the pool.  A tiger swallowtail took a rest in the hackberry.

Later a yellow crowned night heron rested on a piling.  Clouds piled up in the Northeast and reflected the sunset.