Caterpillars

I did not see the infant monarch caterpillar today, perhaps because there were no flowers left to eat.  The black swallowtail caterpillars wandered in search of more parsley.  I found one on the pool ladder.  I also found a floating leaf with a passenger, a pale yellow looper caterpillar.  Some snout butterflies flitted around the dogwood.  A buzzard patrolled the hazy sky.  The Carolina birds - chickadee and wren - visited the feeders.  A hummer rejected its feeder and I could see the sugar water was growing mold.  A great blue heron landed on the channel marker.  A female cardinal wanted a bedtime snack.  

Hot sun

 Today got a lot warmer.  There were clouds and some haze but mostly sunshine.  My morning was taken up with meeting the mayor.  After lunch, I sat outside and saw a dragonfly and a damselfly.  Some butterflies did not cooperate but I found a tiny caterpillar on the milkweed.  Caterpillars were deserting the parsley because it was all eaten.  I went swimming after 4pm for shade.  A small frog let me lift it out onto the pavement.  I also rescued two wasps, a spider, and a May beetle.  Hummers visited the feeders.  I saw two skinks.  One climbed the cedar and the other climbed the retaining wall.  An egret landed by the dock.  

Fall-like

The air was cooler and breezy.  Passing clouds blocked some sun warmth.  A hummer fed and that was about all.  

Chases

The hibiscus bloomed like a firecracker for Labor Day and the weather was perfect.  Between the drought and the recent yo-yo temperatures, leaves looked burnt, not just autumnal.  The parsley was overrun with caterpillars.  A strange little plant with pink flowers popped up beside the birdbath.  The tentative ID was swamp loosestrife.  

This skink chased another across the steps.  One hummer chased another multiple times to protect her feeder.  I chased a small frog and sent it out of the pool.  Alas, I also found a drowned skink, a dead frog, and a couple of soggy crickets.  I did save a beetle.  A Carolina wren preened on a dogwood branch but too many twigs were in the way for the camera to focus.

Lovely day

Rain from last night filled the birdbath and ruined the bird food.  The sun was fierce but the temperature was mild, in fact cool in the shade with a breeze.  In between clouds. the sky was sharply blue.  The larger frog was waiting for me in the skimmer.  It hopped away and I did not see it again.  In fact, I didn't see much wildlife at all.  Dark butterflies explored and swallowtail caterpillars ate.  

I found another drowned caterpillar that I couldn't identify.  A sweat bee needed rescue.  A millipede walked over my foot.  Titmice visited along with the regular seed eaters.  A hummer was very thirsty.  I heard cicadas, a blue jay, a goldfinch, and something that sang "turnip, turnip."  High clouds were blown South while lower ones came in from the East.  Eventually the wind shifted to Northeast  The polypore looked pristine.  

Changeable weather

Morning was quite mellow, cooler and sunny.  I found a bullfrog sitting under the skimmer lid.  It hopped into the pool and I ignored it while cleaning.  Eventually I found it trying to jump out and gave it a lift.  A bit later, I saw a frog hopping along, then ducking into the vegetation.  I thought it was the same one, but eventually it came out beside the ladder and I could see it was only half the size of the other one.  An assassin bug needed rescue.  Buzzards kept watch on high.  There might have been an osprey as well.  

After lunch, the sky was overcast.  I rescued a worm for the hot pavement.  Then I saw a threadwaisted wasp and a hairstreak.  Two bumblebees rolled around together. I don't know for sure why, but it is the time of year for mating.  A distressed Carolina wren landed on the feeder and immediately flew away.  I had heard it fussing up in the pine.  I took a close look at the polypore and found a cicada carcass.  Then a sprinkle began so I hurried into the house.  A thunderstorm ensued but by 3:30pm the sun was back.  

Steamy

The weather was beastly again, hot and humid.  At least there was a little breeze late in the day.  Another hibiscus flower opened and I saw a bud.  Fearing the green-eyed fly, I put off swimming until late afternoon.  A disgustingly dead frog floated in the water.  A larger live frog hopped out when it saw me.  They are trainable!  I didn't see anything else and I didn't get bit.  Buzzards soared while I dripped.  Beautyberries ripened.  A small plant produced a spray of pink flowers.  Squirrels played under the oak while the polypore fattened.