Bad timing

The sky was gray and the wind gusty so it did not feel like room temperature.  I missed getting photos of a brown headed nuthatch and a Carolina wren.  An Argiope in the front yard relocated to the front door.  Since we were expecting people, I needed to persuade it to move.  I tried to get it to climb onto a long stalk but it kept jumping off and returning to the door.  Finally, I annoyed it so much that it very slowly walked across the patio to the planter and disappeared.  I swear it was sulking.  

A monarch that I think emerged today appeared to have problems with its wings.  It moved to the birdbath and fell in.  I tried to help it into some vegetation but I'm afraid it's doomed.  Too bad it didn't wait for a nicer day.  The black swallowtail chrysalis was definitely brown so I expect it will overwinter.  I need to find a safe place for it.  

Gray

All I saw was the moonflowers opening.

 

Monarchs emerged

The creek reflected a gray day.  At lunchtime, a pine warbler visited the barkbutter dish.  I didn't realize at the time that a fine drizzle was falling.  A Carolina wren ate suet until a downy woodpecker pulled rank.  Today was much cooler and I did not venture into the water.  

Both monarchs eclosed today, which makes me wonder if the black swallowtail pupa died.  It's been 33 days, but then I read that it might be set to overwinter..  It also crossed my mind that the monarchs I saw last week might have been from more of the caterpillars that fed on the butterfly milkweed.  Curiously, the chrysalis remnants looked white, not jade green.  More accurately, the casing appeared to have been clear before being torn open.  Anyway, it was nice watching them pump up their wings.  I sup[pose they are all headed to Mexico.  

I checked on the mabel orchard spider as well as the black swallowtail chrysalis.   The spider seemed fine.  The canna bloomed again.  The Carolina returned for barkbutter but ignored the butterfly inches away.  The monarch held quite still.  Three moonflowers opened and a few moments of sunshine followed.  

Rain

A white breasted nuthatch joined the chickadees and titmice waiting for seeds while a cardinal exercised pecking order.  A downy ate suet. Not a colorful lineup.  The rain began at 3:30pm with a shower.  I slipped in a swim before the next wave of rain, which was much longer lasting.  Meanwhile four moonflowers opened with no pollinators likely.  I could find only the orchard spider, the black swallowtail chrysalis, and one monarch chrysalis.  That one appeared dark as though ready to eclose.  

 

Tree cricket

A little rain fell before sunrise and was slow to evaporate, but the day heated up under a bright sun.  The creek glowed in the early light.  The chrysalises and spiders were unchanged, though I thought I could see a wing developing.  While swimming, I saw a bird I thought was a brown thrasher on a shaded tree limb, but I couldn't be sure.  I found another tree cricket in the water and this time I didn't give it the opportunity to escape my camera.  

Milkweed pods split open and some seeds dispersed.  A white breasted nuthatch joined the steady stream of chickadees and titmice wanting seeds.  I tried to catch a moonflower opening but got distracted by the nuthatch.  They popped when I wasn't looking.  The saltbush was beginning to bloom.  

Hot wind

The sun and the wind both felt hot.  A leaf fluttered in the air under the sakaki in a way that made me think it was entangled in a spider thread.   I checked on the chrysalises and the spiders and all seemed well.  

There were lots of leaves and some acorns in the pool but no wildlife.  When I got out, I found a Carolina mantis on one of the patio chairs.  

Still hot

Ridges of wispy cumulus looked like a gigantic fingerprint.  Below, larger cumulus sailed past.  A cloudless sulphur floated over the house roof but I didn't get a picture.  A Southern purple mint moth posed on a leaf.  The chrysalises looked fine. The remaining Argiope and the orchard spider appeared prosperous.  The orchard web reminded me of drawings trying ti illustrate how a planet's mass bends spacetime, only here it was a tiny spider.  

I rescued a ladybug larva, some beetles, an orange assassin bug with striped legs, and a leaf-footed bug.  I fished a tree cricket from the skimmer and went for the camera but it flew away too soon.   

Hot sun

It was a very nice day for a swim, even with a headcold.  A big mulch roach was riding on the pool thermometer.   I only rescued a couple of beetles, but was amused by a fat skink that ambled around the patio as though it owned the place.  A red spotted purple made a brief appearance.   The chrysalises were unchanged and the remaining Argiope and orchard spiders had not moved.  

 

Alleged equinox

According to the newspaper the time today from sunrise to sunset was 12 hours and 9 minutes, 6:53am-7:02pm.  Greenwich defined it as equal illumination on either side of the Equator which might provide a little elbow room than equal day and night.  In any case, astronomical Autumn has begun with a new moon, so it is also Rosh Hashanah and the beginning of the year 5786.  In other news, titmice and chickadees rushed for breakfast.  The sky was milky with haze which, no doubt, kept the air cool despite the sun.  In the afternoon,I swam in 75° water and 75° air which chilled me somewhat.  While swimming, I saw a brown thrasher hunting in the grass.  A brown headed nuthatch visited the feeder in the late afternoon, but I wasn't fast enough.  A Carolina wren dined on suet, thanks to K.  Birds fluttered in the pine but I think they were all chickadees.   

While swimming, I saved a full grown skink, a couple of field crickets, a handful of beetles, and one assassin nymph.  The skink was very tired and hid rather than running away.  A foolish cricket hopped right in front of the skink which didn't even move.  The orchard spider had moved its web a few inches and was easier to photograph.  I could not find the spider that left its sack of eggs on the rosebush.  The one by the window was the only one in sight.  All the chrysalises were intact.  

End of summer

At breakfast, I glimpsed a snowy egret on the bulkhead and got just one photo before it flew.  A monarch was duped by the bright red of the dogwood berries, but found no nectar.  A red spotted purple found a resting spot under an azalea branch.  Now there are three sacks of spider eggs and three chrysalises to monitor.  A bluebottle fly was sitting on my chair, all gorgeous metallic teal on an absolutely icky body.  

The orchard spider was in the same spot, as were the Argiopes.  Rather than venusta, it better fit mabel orchard orbweaver, Leucauge argyrobapta.  Something had taken down the big org web across the pool.  A red-banded leafhopper sat on one of the moonflower leaves.  Passing cclouds and a Northeast wind muted the sun's warmth. The water was not warm and the wind was chilly but worse were the mosquitoes.  Not a dragonfly was to be found.  

Spiders

The roes bush Argiope made an egg sack.  No change to the black swallowtail chrysalis, but I located two monarch chrysalises.  The puss moth caterpillar was definitely dead.  I learned that it was a Southern flannel moth Megalopyge opercularis and that puss moth also refers to a quite different caterpillar.  A mabel orchard spider, Leucauge argyrobapta, moved in next to the black swallowtail chrysalis.  The wind made the web bounce, frustrating camera focus.  A sizable web under the hackberry had snagged some leaves.  There was no sign of its maker which I'm betting was an Araneus.  A couple of butterflies had a dance-fight in the air over territory.  The tattered winner, a red spotted purple, rested in the wild cherry.  A skink scuttled out of view into the mulch.  

Unlike yesterday, nothing needed rescue from a watery grave.  I identified the little blue flowers as Siberian bugloss, Brunnera macrophylla.   Two moonflowers opened at the base of the step railing.  The beautyberry was at its peak.  The first camellia flower of the season opened.   The rain last week got into the bird feeder and sunflower seeds germinated.  The sky clouded over as afternoon became evening.  

Many rescues

After a week without sunshine, it blazed all day!  A Carolina wren picked through the stale barkbutter balls.  I found a monarch chrysalis in the mountain mint.  The black swallowtail chrysalis was unchanged.  The two Argiope spiders were prospering.  A cloud of no-see-ums entangled with the rosebush web.  The Berkely's polypore was buried in tree debris.  

At last the air was warm enough for me to consider swimming.  This was fortunate for two young skinks, a wheel bug and a leaf-footed bug, something that looked like a small Mayfly, a lacewing, a bumblebee, several crickets, a mama spider with a load of spiderlings, some things I couldn't identify, and a brown furry lump that I think was a puss caterpillar.  I was extremely careful with that one.  One of the skinks took a close look at the leaf-footed bug, then left it alone.  Later I saw a wasp hunting around the area where the caterpillar had been floating.  I wonder if the wasp had captured and dropped it.  

Clearing

The creek was quiet but the colors were dull.  It took a long time for the patio to dry because of the humidity.  Around lunchtime we had some sunny moments.  What I think was a young chipping sparrow tried to get lunch but the house finches were too greedy.   Then it gave a side-eye to a garden spider.  A Carolina wren was more successful with the barkbutter balls.  The cardinal was beginning to grow a new tail.  

A monarch butterfly perched on a dogwood, probably because there was so little left of the milkweed.  As I left for a meeting, I spotted two large parasol toadstools at the foot of the drive.  I was busy till evening but did see the cloudless Western sky turn beautiful colors after sunset.  

Overcast

The rain stopped before I got up but a bucket I'd left outside was brimful of water.  Birds were quite hungry after yesterday.  A brown headed nuthatch didn't like the soggy seeds.  The tailless cardinal was back.  I think the floating dock broke.  The two Argiope spiders survived and worked on rebuilding their webs.  A fiery skipper flitted among the morning glory flowers.  The chrysalis was still in place but every caterpillar had disappeared.  (So had all the milkweed leaves but there were still pods to gnaw, so I'm hopeful that the monarchs went off to pupate rather than starving.)  Sunlight leaked through the cloud cover for a few moments at midday.  

Stormy

Breakfast was dark with thunder and rain. When it lightened a little mid morning, birds dashed to the seed feeder.  One was a tailless male cardinal.The rain fell all day, sometimes by the bucketful and the wind gusted fiercely.  Pine needles carpeted the patio.  When I checked the NWS radar, the storm seemed to be spinning over the mouth of the Bay and slowly rolling West.  The storm really looked like a hurricane with the creek flooding. 

 

 

Still dismal

Raindrops pocked the window but didn't do much about the drought.  It rained harder in the Southern part of the city.  In my travels I saw pigeons, crows, and a buzzard.  The wind drove the creek over the dock and into the grass.  A kayaker paddled through with some kind of instrument attached, but I couldn't see any official insignia.

Gray day

Another dismal day with no sun and too much wind.  A dark bird perched in the pine and seemed to be eating something.  The mystery plant finally put forth a little blue flower.  It was pretty but I was expecting something more impressive.  But there are more buds.  The spiderweb by the rose was flapping in the wind and finally tore loose.  Later I found the Argiope  under its collapsed web.  K complained that an Argiope on the front patio was connecting its web to the bonsai trees.  Only two monarch caterpillars were left and the butterflyweed was almost leafless.  The chrysalis was the same and so was the remaining black swallowtail caterpillar.  I glimpsed a dark butterfly that was gone before I could be sure what it was.  

 

Caterpillars

Thin, high clouds reduced the warmth of the sun and the breeze felt cold.  I found one missing spider.  It had just moved upward a couple of feet.  The Argiope by the rosebush enlarged its web.  I occurred to me that for several weeks I haven't seen any of the mama spiders that walk on water.  Nor have I seen much in the way of web-building spiders except these yellow garden spiders.  All five monarch caterpillars and one black swallowtail caterpillar were still present.  The monarchs were still eating but the swallowtail was motionless.  The chrysalis had not yet opened.  

Between the dogwood and the beautyberry there was plenty for birds to eat but I didn't see any doing so.  In fact, the only birds I noticed were two flying fast upstream as they glinted silver in the sunlight.  I don't know what they were.  My only water rescue was an assassin bug nymph.  Two red spotted purples hung around the pool.  

 

Summery

It was a warm, beautiful day!  The dawn creek mirrored the sunlit bank.  First the yellow cat and then the black cat stared into the shrubbery.  A brown thrasher visited at breakfast.  I know it's anthropomorphism, but brown thrashers always look outraged to me.  This one didn't like what was left of the suet.  A brown headed nuthatch had to wait for a titmouse to hammer its seed.  A Carolina wren sampled the barkbutter balls.  

A great blue heron perched on the dock.  The water was still very fresca, but I rescued two young skinks.  A red spotted purple flitted around and even drank where I'd dripped pool water while taking skink pics.  Earlier, a tiger swallowtail flew among the trees.  The five monarch caterpillars wreaked devastation on the butterfly milkweed.  I hope they pupate soon!  The one black swallowtail caterpillar probably had enough rue left to finish that life stage.  The chrysalis was unchanged.  I still could only find one yellow garden spider.  

 

Mystery bird

The drizzle continued in the morning but about 11am we began to dry out.  A Carolina wren ate suet.  I only located one of the spiders but all five monarch caterpillars were chomping away.  One black swallowtail caterpillar was still eating rue and the chrysalis was still there.  Despite the chill, I got in the pool and worked on all the leaves and needles that had blown in.  In the course of that, I rescued two honeybees, a scarab beetle, and what I think was a ladybug larva.  A hopeful mosquito got up in my face and a red spotted purple landed near me.  

A small dark bird feasted on beautyberries.  The light was poor and it was shaded and obscured by leaves but my overall impression was black and white.  Nothing in the field guides matched.  I had hoped the cold Northeast wind would at least bring some migrants and it may have been one.  As I headed back inside, I saw a southern purple mint moth.  

Wet

What a dreary day.  It was dark, gusty, chilly, and wet without significant rainfall.  The tide was still running high, driven by the Northeast wind.  The barkbutter fans were disappointed because we never uncovered those dishes.  The suet was down to a nubbin.  Only the seed eaters - cardinals, house finches, chickadees - got fed and they didn't like the weather either.  I could see the two spiders through the windows but I didn't go out to check on the other wildlife.  In the afternoon, a Carolina wren came around and had a little suet.  

 

Drizzle

We were back to dank weather with a cold, gusty wind.  I couldn't face swimming but made the rounds to check on caterpillars, chrysalis, and spiders.  All appeared well.  I counted five on the milkweed.  An Asian ladybug walked around on the morning glory leaves.  A lot of ground cherry leaves had been eaten but the caterpillars were too well hidden for me.  While skimming leaves off the water, I startled a red spotted purple.  

An American crow perched on a dock piling while water streamed over the boards   A blue jay had some barkbutter balls and was photobombed by a monarch, I think.  It was out of focus.  The moonflower seeds I planted in pots on the front patio did well and have been blooming.  Not so the back yard seeds.  

Chilly wind

The sun returned though clouds continued to blow in from the Northeast.  And the wind peeled away the sun's warmth.  Titmice again came for breakfast.  At lunch I saw a red spotted purple and a tiger swallowtail.  A hummer checked out the suet!  The two back yard spiders were still with us.  A lot of leaves and needles blew into the water and it felt too cold to go in after them so I skimmed what I could and forgot to check the chrysalis.  

 

Dank

The sky was overcast and the breeze was damp.  The temperature dropped below 70° instead of rising.  Birds were hungry, first titmice, then Carolina wrens, a hummer, and a female goldfinch.  I thought I saw a white breasted nuthatch but it disappeared too fast for certainty.  I could see two spiders without going outside.   Later I located two more in the front yard.  

Mosquitoey

Before my morning meeting, a little green heron was sitting on the dock.  Lots of leaves blew into the water and made Rorschach images.  I visited the Berkley's Polypore and got thoroughly bitten by mosquitoes.  The chrysalis was showing some wing color - fingers crossed that I'm there when it emerges.  I found only one black swallowtail caterpillar and no monarchs.  A monarch butterfly flew past the butterfly milkweed without a glance.  The remaining Argiope seemed fine.  A large silvery feather poked into the ground.  

 

Hot again

I had meetings and didn't get outside till late.  There was noting in the water but leaves.  A persistent mosquito annoyed me despite the lack of rain.   I couldn't find the caterpillars or two of the spiders.  The one that was behind the bench moved back to the rose bush where I first saw it.  A red spotted purple flitted through the yard and kept going.  A crow carried on in the top of the oak.  I got a view of the chrysalis from the other side.  

A different caterpillar

Last night was still cool but the day warmed up into the 80s, at last.  The creek was a sunny mirror at breakfast, but that didn't last once the wind started up.  One of the male cardinals was going bald.  That reminded me of Rosemary Mosco's cartoon.  A Carolina wren worked at the suet.  

A wasp performed jumping jacks on the window at lunch.   Perhaps it was newly emerged and pumping up its wings?  I rescued two more skinks but, thankfully, no more cicada killers. A variegated fritillary caterpillar was hiking across the hot concrete.  I scooped it up with a gladiolus leaf to move it to a better location.  It was dark red with black bristles.  

A red spotted purple flew past but didn't land where I could see it.  I checked on the monarch and swallowtail caterpillars but only saw a couple of each.  The spiders were hiding too.  A wasp with a doomed grub climbed the railing, maybe to have more height for takeoff with such a burden.  Then another skink crossed in front of me.  Maybe it was the same as the one yesterday with the purplish tail.  

 

Skinks

The temperature was still cool but by tomorrow it is predicted to warm up.  A hummer arrived before its feeder was ready.   Again the yellow cat hunted in exactly the same spot as yesterday, apparently fascinated by something on the ground.  I yelled at it.  A tiny skink ran across the patio before I could get a picture.  That was about it for the morning, but when I went out to swim things livened up.  An adult skink that should have known better was floating near the steps.  It wasn't moving and I was worried, but soon it began to paw at the pool wall.  I eased it out and noticed it was very thick in the middle like it might be pregnant.  (Is that the right term for an egg layer?)  

Not too long after, I found a young blue-tailed skink paddling in the deep end. I carried it back to the steps for a posing session.  When I looked later, the silly thing had its nose over the edge peering down at the water.  So I beeped its nose.  It took the hint.

Meanwhile, a cicada killer wasp had also fallen into the water and all my rescue sticks were missing.  I found a dead twig and carefully lifted it out.  As often happens, it didn't want to let go of the twig for a while.  Eventually, it got over the trauma and flew away.  I also rescued a ladybug and some scarabs.  The sky was a deep, clear blue and the sun was hot to balance the chilly breeze.  

I could only find one Argiope, the one behind the bench.  When I checked the rue, the chrysalis was fine.  I noticed a first instar caterpillar, a middle size caterpillar that might have just molted, and only a couple of the big ones.  But I didn't see any more chrysalises.  On the butterfly milkweed, I located the same caterpillars as yesterday.  

Yet another skink hustled across the patio and the steps.  Its tail was so blue it was ultraviolet.  At supper, a punk-looking blue jay wanted barkbutter balls.  A couple of titmice argued over the menu.  The usual species kept the seed feeder busy.  

Windy

The wind from the Northeast continued to push clouds through and keep the air unseasonably cool.  The yellow cat prowled along the far side of the pool.  All the monarch caterpillars were stuffing themselves and I saw a very small, new addition to the throng.  More millipedes were in the water.  From what I read, that may be a sign that the mulch has dried out.  The water was chilly too.  I found the third Argiope, back between the azalea and the nandina.