Cool

Something carried off the fresh,full tub of bark butter so I fastened the replacement with rubber bands.  Bluebirds were fine with the arrangement.  There were several crows hanging around.  I suspect one of them was the thief.  A yellow crowned night heron slept on the dock in the sun. Five turtles enjoyed the sun. 

The afternoon was cloudy and eventually drizzly.  Bluebirds worked on the tub of bark butter.  Blue jays kept checking but I didn't put out more bark butter balls.  There were frequent hummer visits which makes me think more than one bird was coming.  One glared at the sky.

A margined leatherwing beetle (Chauliognathus marginatus) lifted its wing covers (elytra) to clean its abdomen. The cloud cover tore apart at sunset and the pieces blushed in the fading light.