Thunder

The bluebirds were back.  A Carolina wren joined the queue at the suet.  The hibiscus was still putting on a show but there weren't many buds left.  Both Argiopes were doing well.  I spotted a saddlebags dragonfly overhead when I got out of the water.  A soaring bird was hard to identify.  

A mockingbird in the midst of a bad molt tried to take over the suet from the bluebirds.  The brown headed nuthatches slipped past the commotion to get theirs. Then we had different woodpeckers show up.  The female red bellied dislodged a bluebird while the make downy was forced to wait.  

And then, around 2pm, thunder began cracking loud and close.  It didn't let up for over two hours though the rain cycled between light and deluge.  The bluebirds returned to the suet when the rain wasn't so heavy.  Finally, as evening was coming, on the storm ceased.  I went out to see if the hummer feeder had been diluted (it had), when several birds swooped across the sky chasing bugs.  I don't know if they were swallows or warblers.  I went back for my camera, too late, and was startled by a screech.  A small heron flew over as though it had an eagle on its tail.