Cooler today

But bright and clear.

The black swallowtail caterpillars are coming along nicely. They seem to like rue even more than parsley. An adult black swallowtail is flitting about sowing eggs as is a tiger swallowtail. The yellow tiger swallowtail flies higher than the black but it appeared to be laing eggs on th beautyberry which is just starting to leaf out.

Cardinals, chickadees and titmice are still visiting the feeder.

Storm blew out to sea

Little cotton puffs were still streaming East this morning. A robin prospected for worms in the wet tree litter. I need to take a broom to the patio.

Much better. A female cardinal and a mangy male finch came to the feeder. A little green heron perched on a piling. I think I saw purple martins - some kind of swallow for sure - flying high up.

Windy

The come-and-go storms continue. Almost every creature is hunkered down out of the wind, except the geese. They appear to be engaged in noisy mating behavior. The female seems to want no part of it, judging by the noise, the flapping of wings, and the running off.

And now the rain is lashing everything.

Robin seeks SFR

Single Female Robin, that is. He was perched on the stone Neva gave me. He was making a soft whine but the camera didn't catch him with beak open.

The weather continues to play tag with thunderstorms.

A black swallowtail that must have already found a mate was busily laying eggs on the rue.

Bright cardinal, dull day

The cardinal perched and posed for quite some time on the wire structure that will hopefully prop up the hibiscus later in the year. Three squirrels played detective on the various tree debris on the ground, finding the occasional yummy.

The day is no longer dull - sun in the East and a dark threatening raincloud in the West. And now a downpour.

Continued hot

This morning a crow was preaching from the bare branch on the sweet gum. It throws its whole body into every caw. Robins were prospecting on the ground and a squirrel checked to see if the feeder had miraculously opened in the night. It had not - the wire fix seems to be working.

Sunny and hot for Easter

A wind out of the West is hustling the few wispy clouds along.