Misty

The temperature barely cleared 60 and the air was thick with water vapor.  All I saw was a female bluebird getting seeds and a squirrel eating suet.  

 

Hanky-panky

A pair of mallards mated in the pool while another drake watched.  

 

Still hot

A mating pair of damselflies hovered over the edge of the water but I was in the water and unable to take a picture.  I rescued a moth or small butterfly that was too battered to identify.  Also, I fished out a spider and several ground beetles.  Other spiders and mulch roaches were defunct.  A squirrel ate suet.  

Bugs

At breakfast, a pileated woodpecker visited the suet but left so fast I don't know which sex it was.   Again the afternoon temperature was in the 90s and the water was a little warmer.  I rescued spiders and beetles and one small wasp, very carefully.  Some of the spiders were goners as was a green stinkbug.  When I deadheaded a rose, I disturbed an assassin bug nymph.  The little butterfly made the rounds again.  

Cold water

A Carolina wren got a barkbutter ball from the dish.  A titmouse fooled around.  Then I saw a very bright pine warbler.  The outdoor thermometer read 95° so I ventured into the pool today.  It was cold but bearable.  I tried to rescue a spider in the skimmer but it evaded me.  

Heat wave

A brown thrasher took off just as I pressed the shutter button.  Fortunate it only wanted to get closer to the barkbutter balls on the patio.  The mockingbird preferred to eat them from the dish.  A white breasted nuthatch agreed.  A Carolina wren took its treat under the furniture.  A crow finally came for the barkbutter balls.  I glimpsed a bluebird.  

An egret waded under the new bulkhead across the creek.  I saw 91° on the thermometer.  The tiny butterfly I'm guessing was a spring azure was back to torment me.  So was a cabbage white.  The milkweed bloomed.  

 

Butterflies

A black swallowtail landed on the Solomon's seal, but didn't give me quite enough time for a photo.  The usual cabbage white made the rounds.  What I thought was a painted lady landed on the nandina in an awkward spot I couldn't get in focus.  It turned out to be a red spotted purple.  Rain lilies bloomed at the foot of the dry creek.  The false indigo bloomed too.  

The brown thrasher pair and a mockingbird were lured back for barkbutter balls.  So was a titmouse.  The sky was a beautiful blue but the wind was strong.  The yellow cat prowled alongside the water, then darted after something in the azalea bush.  

A pair of mallards found the pool.  I yelled at them but when K shook the pool net at them they left.  Meanwhile, a crow landed, hopped down to the top step and had a drink not ten feed from me.  Clearly those birds do not see me as much of a threat.  A buzzard soared over the house.