Bright again

Sunshine returned but not warmth.  A cardinal sampled the jelly.  I missed a blue jay and a bluebird but the red belly cooperated.  White throats were still hanging around.  A squirrel had a badly abused tail, probably from a mating competition.  

The female pileated came back for the suet remnant.  Her crest was up, whether because the suet was almost gone or some other reason.  She seemed to freeze for a while on the post so maybe there was a raptor around.  

 

 

 

 

A cabbage white flew despite the wind but that was the only butterfly I saw.   A white breasted nuthatch came for seeds.  

Dank

Rain fell overnight and the day's temperature flatlined in the mid 50s.  A strong breeze made the temperature feel even colder.  Cardinals continued courting.  A bluebird ate seeds.  A brown thrasher tried to get some suet though it was almost gone.  White throats foraged in the wet mulch.  A blue jay was disappointed that the barkbutter balls were covered.  We kept the barkbutter dish covered till lunch because of the chance of morning rain.  

There wasn't any more rain but the day stayed dark.  A bluebird sat on the barkbutter hanger looking sad so K opened it and the bluebird returned immediately.  I saw but didn't get a picture of the red belly going after a seed.  A Carolina wren also prospected for a seed.  

Very pleasant

A crow came looking for a handout but nothing was ready.  It had a feather sticking up.  Then the female pileated arrived and tore up the suet.  A blue jay was only interested in barkbutter balls.  A brown thrasher felt the same.  A Carolina wren was less choosy.  In the afternoon, I spilled the bag of barkbutter balls and a white throat took advantage.  It was late in the day when I finally saw bluebirds.

A yellow jacket queen prospected around the birdbath.  A skink tiptoed across the lower patio but I didn't get a picture.  I also missed a tiger swallowtail, a silver spotted skipper, a red bellied woodpecker, and a mockingbird.  

Nuthatches

The birds slept in but after breakfast they came in a wave.  Two brown headed nuthatches appeared to be courting.  A mockingbird, a bluebird, and a Carolina wren were more interested in eating.  So were the seed feeder trio - chickadee, cardinal, and house finch.  A brown thrasher got away without a photo.  Bluebirds and blue jays were more cooperative.  The male red bellied woodpecker returned.  

I went outside after lunch and saw lots of butterflies.  The black and tiger swallowtails were recognizable but not the brownish orange ones.  I think there were dragonflies as well but I didn't get any pictures of them either.  Wasps worked hard.  Rain started after 2pm but wasn't heavy and didn't last very long.  The pink evening primrose started blooming.  Bud clusters formed on the milkweed.  The beautyberry leafed out.  White throated sparrows were still here but rushing around and hard to capture.  A vulture and an osprey flew over.  

3 caterpillars

A Carolina wren attacked the suet from underneath.  Then a downy woodpecker male did the same thing.   White throats scuttled around.  The wren queued up with blue jays for barkbutter balls.  

Three first instar black swallowtail caterpillars occupied the bolting parsley in K's pot on the front patio.  The caterpillars weren't moving.  I harvested a pepper and admired some green ones.  The pinxter flower, a native deciduous azalea, was blooming as was the false indigo.  The moon was at first quarter.

 

 

Birdhouse

I didn't see anything at breakfast.  At lunch, the male red belly took an interest in barkbuter balls but I missed it, twice.  A mockingbird and a blue jay followed.  White throats ran around the patio.  The house finches got very passionate.  A Carolina wren sampled this and that.  A titmouse had seeds.  A female bluebird had a bath.  And I finally got the red belly.  

The first night heron of the year landed on the dock and promenaded up to the grass where it stepped off to stalk along the spartina.  And I was without the camera because we were hanging the birdhouse.  Later, I saw a heron behind the bushes later but I think it was a great blue heron.  A cabbage white flitted past.  The blue eyed grass bloomed.  

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Brown thrasher

The air was still cool and the wind gusty but the sun was bright.  Carolina wrens returned.  White throats lingered.  A mockingbird considered the menu.  A brown thrasher went directly to the barkbutter balls.  Then a blue jay took over.  Chickadees, house finches, and cardinals ate seeds, just as they do every day.  

Chilly

Wind gusts felt colder than the actual temperature.  Carolina wrens and blue jays came for suet and barkbutter balls. They were all I noticed.  Clouds fought with the sun throughout the day.  

Pileated woodpecker

The sky was gray all day and quite dark at one point, but there were only a couple of brief showers.  However, the temperature, which was comfortable at breakfast, dropped steadily down into the 50s.  Wind gusts made it even colder.  A bluebird showed up at breakfast and returned throughout the day.  Yellow flag iris opened.  

White throats dallied but arrived for lunch.  Carolina wrens also visited then.  I saw the pair flirting under a chair.  The cardinals were courting too.  After lunch, the female pileated woodpecker came for suet.  She dropped lots of crumbs to the delight of little birds.  

Not as hot

I was tired last night and skipped posting even though I had photos.  The mockingbird was back.  Bluebirds visited.  I was unable to catch a tiger swallowtail on camera.  Blue jays wanted barkbutter balls.  White throats continued to forage and bathe.  Cardinals courted.  A Carolina wren was thirsty and hungry.  A squirrel was itchy but crept close to me.  

A mockingbird started off the morning and visited on and off all day.  A male red bellied woodpecker came for breakfast.  The creek was sunlit and placid in the morning.  A Carolina wren came for lunch.  White throats were still packing for the trip North.  Titmice were hungry today, thirsty too, and in need of a bath.  A female brown headed cowbird got a drink.  Blue jays got a share of mealworms since there weren't barkbutter balls.  Bluebirds were very late arriving.  

The blue-eyed grass and the coral lily bloomed.  I think this is very early in the year for these lilies.  Blue flag irises were also flowering.  Wild cherry trees were done blooming.  The butterfly milkweed got a head start on the mountain mint.  I glimpsed a skink but it was faster than the camera.  Dragonflies also defeated me.  A silver-spotted skipper posed with its silver spots hidden.  I saw tiger and dark swallowtails and a medium-sized butterfly that was too fast to identify.  

Squirrels were very active, chasing, drinking, and eating.  One dived headfirst into the mealworms.  The mealworms are not peppered to discourage squirrels but they were resting on a bed of barkbutter dust that was.  The squirrel frantically brushed its face.  It was much more careful after that.  One squirrel was nursing.  Clouds spread across the sky in the late afternoon and sunset was fiery red.  

Even hotter!

The mockingbird came early, followed by blue jays.  Then a rumpled dove visited.  Despite it being 92° we ate lunch outside and I saw a silver spotted skipper.  I think a couple of swallowtails were flitting around the trees but I couldn't get a good look.  The sky was hazy and brushed with thicker clouds.  There were berries already on the hackberry.  A Carolina wren sampled the suet.  

Hot

What with one thing and another I didn't see much yesterday except a mockingbird that posed nicely and a blue jay that didn't.  Today I saw an osprey while driving to Ocean View and an egret on my way back.  I heard a mockingbird in a street tree.  

At home there were white throats, a red bellied woodpecker, blue jays, and a mockingbird.  The mockingbird ate the barkbutter balls K had scattered for a crow.  A white throat took a bath.  The day was very hot -- 88° at lunch.  I forgot to check later but wouldn't be surprised if it was a record.  The National Weather Service reported 90° which tied the record.  The dogwoods finished blooming and there were buds on the roses.  

 

Hazy

The white throats were still with us, packing on the calories for the trip North.   Bluebirds visited the glass dish.  The mockingbird pair were hungry too.  Of course, blue jays came as soon as the dish was refilled.  A Carolina wren popped in for a barkbutter snack.  

I saw a honeybee in an azalea flower.  A few other bees and wasps checked out the flowers as well.  The day was windy so the temperature in the low 80s didn't feel hot.  

 

Mellow day

White throats bathed on a very pleasant, sunny, room temperature day with a light breeze.  Blue jays wanted food and drink.  A mockingbird was bold enough to eat suet while I was near.  The male red belly almost collided with the mockingbird on the way to the suet.  Bluebirds ate the mealworms in the glass dish.  So did a squirrel.  Two doves progressed beyond flirting.  A male downy got some time with the suet.  

In addition to birds, I saw at least three butterflies -- tiger swallowtail, black swallowtail, and something smaller -- and a couple of dragonflies, one perched and one cruising about 18" above the grass.  A queen yellow jacket prowled the mulch looking for a nest site.  A skink panicked and rain right into my sandal.  

The azaleas were at their peak, but insects didn't seem very interested.  The wild cherry's flowers were too high to see details but they looked like spikes of white foam.  The coral honeysuckle was covered with flowers that will feed any hummingbird that arrives before I put the feeder out.  It's probably past time to retire the grape jelly.

Skink

While I was in an online meeting an osprey flew down and tried to catch a fish. Alas, no photo.  

At lunchtime I saw a skink soaking up the sun and staying out of the wind.  

 

Frustrations

I was busy on a phone call without the camera and two tiger swallowtails danced together outside the window for several minutes.  It didn't occur to me to try to use the phone's camera - probably just as well.  The phone camera isn't great for small critters and I might have bollixed the call.  Toward evening, a brown thrasher raided the barkbutter balls and flew off before I had it in focus.  I did get its cousin the mockingbird.  A Carolina wren also posed.  .After a week of below average temperatures, today was warmer and sunny.  

Crow

 There were more birds today.  K continued to tempt the crow with barkbutter balls.  

 A tiger swallowtail flitted among the dogwood flowers but didn't alight.  

 

Mockingbird

I finally caught up with the mockingbird.  Blue jays also visited and, of course, there were white throats.  However, I think the butterbutts and orioles have headed North.  

Back to Spring

The heat wave dissipated and normal Spring temperatures returned.  There weren't a lot of birds but a mockingbird managed to get a snack without me getting a photo, twice.  White throats didn't care how many pictures I took.  A Carolina wren posed nicely.  

Storm

Just down the street on the way to church we saw a rabbit.  Blue jays and white throats visited the glass dish while cardinals and house finches ate seeds.  A squirrel foraged underneath.   By 3pm a storm was blowing our way from the West.   It got dark and windy before the short deluge.  

A hot week

Yesterday was still hot.  A pine warbler considered the barkbutter balls.  Then blue jays arrived, and white throats.  K spilled some on the patio for a crow.  The pines and oaks shed pollen.   Flower bud spikes appeared on the wild cherry.  

Today was supposedly the last of the heatwave.  Azaleas opened but jonquils withered.  A cabbage white flitted through the vegetation.  A white throat checked to see if the dish had been refilled.  Two more hopped around in a dogwood.  Another perched by the fence.  Blue jays noticed when I refilled the dish.  

Insect season

The heatwave persisted and again the temperature was well into the 80s.  We ate outdoors and afterward I saw bees, wasps, butterflies, and an uncooperative dragonfly.  The butterflies were a cabbage white and a tiger swallowtail.  I couldn't identify the dragonfly.  I heard blue jays bud didn't see them.  The long haired yellow cat tried to catch a squirrel.  The squirrel was outraged and I hope I embarrassed the cat.  Azalea buds began opening.  

Windy

March ended with a blast of wind and heat.  At breakfast there was a brown thrasher.  I was away tabling at an event most of the day and came home too tired to think.  I do remember that I saw an egret and a mockingbird at the event.  I think something bit me too because I had a welt next day.  The tide was way out thanks to the wind and nearly full moon.  

While I was recuperating, the red belly came for suet.  A dove wandered around.  White throats, blue jays, and a mockingbird ate barkbutter balls.  The mockingbird had to wait for a cardinal to finish.  Then a bluebird got his  I must still have been tired today because I don't seem to recall seeing anything except the dredge.  The temperature beat the old record by two degrees.  

Black swallowtail

At lunchtime the swallowtail was checking flowers for nectar but I think most of them had already been visited.  The red belly came for suet and sparrows for barkbutter balls.  Fierce-looking clouds passed over but did nothing.  The day was hot and windy.  

Nuthatches

Lots of birds arrived at breakfast while my fingers were sticky.  I think one was a brown thrasher but I didn't see it again.  The first one that I caught on camera was a white breasted nuthatch.  White throats were everywhere, on the ground, on the feeders, in the pool puddle.  A myrtle warbler also looked for a drink there.  Bluebirds defaulted to seeds because starlings emptied the suet and barkbutter.  A titmouse investigated the empty dish feeder.  The male red belly ate seeds.  I put some mealworms out hoping the starlings would be less interested.  A crow didn't see anything worth its time.  

Azalea buds began to open as the day warmed up.   A pine warbler foraged for fallen food.  A chipping sparrow made a brief visit.  The mockingbird pair discussed the menu and decided on jelly.  Cardinals were courting.  A brown headed nuthatch tried to grab a seed.  When I put out more barkbutter balls, blue jays showed up immediately.  Bluebirds and white throats were right behind.  

March wind

A white throat started the day with barkbutter balls.  A blue jay was next, then a Carolina wren.  And then the voracious starlings showed up.  The wren moved over to the suet.  Chilly and gusty wind didn't discourage the starlings, alas.  Eight or ten of them attacked the suet, the barkbutter balls, and each other. White throats ate what fell.  Cardinals courted, doves foraged, and orioles ate jelly.  

Some of the white throats were a molting mess.  The pine warbler was back for more suet.  A downy ate seeds as did bluebirds.  A myrtle warbler also indulged in jelly.  The suet nearly disappeared during the day but a wren found a few bites.  Lots of money plant flowers opened so that's something for hungry nectar feeders.   

 

Downhill weather

Morning was very warm and my car was well dusted with pollen.  A Carolina wren carried off a barkbutter breakfast ball.  Clouds came in and dropped the temperature.  The red belly chose suet this time.  Unfortunately, so did starlings.  A female bluebird ate seeds.  By supper it was chilly and birds seemed frantic to pack in some calories.  But the light was too poor for photos.  Thus a brown thrasher got away without paying for its meal.  

Pairing up

It looked like the cardinals were getting in the mood to nest.  An egret flew upstream and I believe I also glimpsed a great blue heron.  A pine warbler ate suet.  The two doves returned.  I chased off the short haired yellow cat which was trying to hide behind an azalea.  Starlings bathed alongside a white throated sparrow.  The male red belly came for seeds, but still no sign of a female.  The day was sunny and warm though clouds thickened toward evening.  

Orioles

Three orioles showed up at breakfast. A female had barkbutter while the male went straight to the jelly.  Then another female shoved him off the jelly.  A mockingbird also enjoyed the jelly.  Blue jays, bluebirds, and a brown thrasher wanted the mix of barkbutter and mealworms that K had restocked. So, alas, did a half dozen starlings.  Bluebirds seemed flustered  by the battling starlings and mostly stuck to seeds.  All the sparrows appeared to be white throats.  At lunchtime a pelican flew upstream.  

 

Junco

I saw a male oriole eating jelly at breakfast, but I don't know if it wintered here or was just passing through.  I only got pictures of its rear, unfortunately.  A Carolina wren didn't find much in the glass dish.  A bluebird did better at the seed feeder.  A pine warbler came for suet.  A mockingbird helped itself to suet at lunch.   A myrtle warbler visited the jelly.  A brown headed nuthatch came for seeds.  White throated sparrows ate at feeders and under them.  

Later in the afternoon, a junco appeared.  Perhaps it was migrating North?  The feeder perch gave the bluebirds some trouble by twisting underfoot.  They looked like logrolling lumberjacks.  A blue jay drank from the pool puddle.  A starling tried to get some suet.  The mockingbird switched to jelly.  

 

End of the hear wave

A myrtle warbler breakfasted on barkbutter balls.  Then three starlings argued about who would eat first.  A white throat headed for the mulch to look for seeds.  A blue jay followed the starlings.  A different myrtle warbler tried the jelly.  One white throat appeared to be molting and looked a mess.  I saw an orange butterfly about the size of a cabbage white.

The sun was still bright at lunch.  Afterward I took the camera to the front yard.  Pollinators were busy around the jessamine but too fast for me to photograph.   The bumblebees buzz-pollinating the blueberries were a little slower.  Clouds rolled through and the wind made 70° feel a little chilly.  

I spotted some money plant flowers.   The birds stayed away while I was outside but showed up as soon as I came in.  Bluebirds and the red bellied woodpecker scarcely waited for the door to close.  A mockingbird came but by then the barkbutter dish was empty so it headed for the jelly.  I hadn't refilled the barkbutter balls because rain was predicted.  Around 4pm the sky darkened and the wind picked up and the temperature started dropping.  A rain shower passed through around 5:30pm but hardly wetted the birdbath.  A very red sunset glowed through the trees.  

Hot sun

The song sparrow came early to forage.   A myrtle warbler was disappointed that the glass dish was empty.  A bluebird found seeds in the feeder.  A white throat wandered the patio.  A brown thrasher hoped for barkbutter but the dish was still empty.  I did refill it after breakfast.  A downy ate seeds in lieu of suet since that was empty too.  

It was at least 85° this afternoon, and sunny.  Paper wasps were flying, along with a cabbage white.  The squirrel with the light spot on its back came close and sniffed my toes.  I guess I passed inspection.  A brown thrasher watched from the maple.  Bluebirds and blue jays were skittish but wanted barkbutter balls.  Lots of sparrows scurried around.  A mixed group of white throats and house finches drank from the pool puddle.

The oaks were in full bloom, mating with the wind.  A squirrel was feeding on the pollen.  The volunteer domestic cherry had flowers though the wild cherry was leafing out before blooming.  

Warmer

A blue jay demanded breakfast.  The song sparrow hunted for its own meal.  A starling arrived after the dish was empty.  A white throat posed flaunting its field marks.  A downy worked to extract the last morsels of suet, but dropped some.  The sunshine felt warm but the breeze did not. 

The temperature sneaked above 70° at lunch before dropping back to the upper 60s.  While I only saw a bumblebee, I expect the birds found more insects to eat.  The regulars visited the feeders but didn't seem especially hungry. The male pileated wanted some suet but little remained.  Annoyingly, a brown thrasher on the barkbutter dish kept its back to me.  A pair of doves perched in the oak.  Bluebirds ate seeds.  They like something in the mix I bought from WBU.  A crow hoped to find something tasty.