Finch festivities

Both house finches and goldfinches showed up for breakfast, along with cardinals.  The female goldfinch checked on the progress of the sunflower plants, which have not yet even produced buds.  I'm impressed at the bird's botanical knowledge.  The male swung on the hummer feeder. 

I chased all the spiders in the pool onto a brick on the top step.  A small iridescent green beetle needed rescuing along with the usual black beetles and tiny bees.  A grasshopper nymph is the reason the sunflower leaves have holes.  It's very well camouflaged but its shadow gave it away.  A titmouse came to the feeder at lunch. I glimpsed a skink but I think the new mulch has distressed them.

The birdhouse is quiet but I can hear wrens everywhere.  I'm guessing the parents have dispersed their fledglings.  I did see one getting fed, albeit in deep shade which is why this is a terrible photo. 

Clouds built up in the SE during the afternoon.  When I got home, the male towhee visited the new mulch.  Then a hummer came and rejected the feeder, so I'm cleaning it again and I'll make fresh juice.  The hummer spent some time with the lavender.

A wall cloud moved out of the NE and then clouds came from every direction with lightning.  Around 6pm the downpour began and the power went out just as I sat to type this.  It came back after a few minutes and I'm trusting it will stay.