Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Babies

Suddenly it was bringing-up-baby time in the back yard.  A young cardinal whose beak hadn't yet changed to orange was learning to peck for itself around the birdbath.  A Carolina wren joined the foraging, then went hunting in the mountain mint.  We had a morning shower which caught me by surprise.  I was making sun tea. 

A cabbage white refreshed itself on mountain mint. I chased a little leafcutter bee that mostly defeated the camera's focus.  A scoliid wasp was more cooperative.  A black and orange beetle (I think) mimicked the wasps on the mountain mint.  A skink scooted across the step.  

A mockingbird came for carry-out for the family.  The bluebirds' chick sat on the feeder hanger begging to be fed.  I could almost see it trying to make the connection between the dish of food and getting fed, but it didn't quite grasp the concept.  Instead it took a bath!  Goldfinches swooped in to feed on the sunflower.  The poor, bald cardinal watched an adult bluebird eat. 

I saw the first skinklet of the summer swimming in the pool.  I rescued it but made it sit for a portrait.  I also rescued a woodlouse hunter spider, a polistes wasp, and a little green frog that was hanging out in the skimmer.  The spider was also in the skimmer but not by choice.  

 

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