I was gone in the morning, but the action at lunch and after more than made up for it. Bluebirds feasted on bark butter till a blue jay claimed ownership. A titmouse slipped in for a helping. Hummers made frequent visits to their feeder, fussing when other birds got too close.
Skinks bustled about on their mysterious business. I saw one actually rear up on its hind legs to nip something off a leaf. A few slaty skimmers used the perches. A worn black swallowtail egged everything in sight. I rescued a millipede and a frog. A honeybee and a fiery skipper joined the wasps and bees on the mountain mint.
Over on the seed feeder, a brown headed nuthatch was determined to have a share despite being smaller than all the other birds.
The cherry tree was also full of birds and a confrontation developed between a blue jay and a red bellied woodpecker and a brown thrasher. It followed the woodpecker to the bark butter. A brown thrasher booted the woodpecker off. Then the titmouse dived on the thrasher till the bigger bird gave up and left. And I thought titmice were timid!
The male bluebird looked bedraggled with molted feathers sticking out. A downy woodpecker was next. A ratty looking pine warbler tried to share with the bluebird, and the camera confused the focus. The warbler came back for a another try with the downy. A Carolina wren scolded as it foraged. Down at the water's edge a night heron swallowed its catch. And then the rain began.
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