Out Comes the Sun

Outside my door is this magnificent magnolia blossom.

As I was hoping, the sun brought out some butterflies, such as this pearl crescent on the clover.

There were at least three silver-spotted skippers on the wild bergamot.

And this delightful little glassywing.

While the cabbage white was enticed by this blue vervain.

The damselfly landed on top of the rock under which a snake was
 sleeping.

A pretty orange sulphur on the wild bergamot.

When along comes a male orange sulphur.

He tried all his enticements, but she said, "Not now I have a headache" and off he flew.

But in the bluebird house there is plenty of activity with a second nesting.

Between the raindrops

I ventured out this morning before it started to rain.  Near the bench overlooking the wetland is this lovely orange daylily.

Beside the daylily are some blueberry shrubs.

On the edge of the wetland is some bird's foot trefoil.

Blooming profusely in the water is this pickerel weed.

While up in the meadow this wild bergamot has attracted two bumble bees.

It also attracted this clear-wing moth.

Starting to bloom is this thin-leaved coneflower.

And this Queen Anne's lace, which has attracted three very small critters.

A sweat bee on dandelion.

Perched high on the twigs overlooking the meadow are two juvenile robins, with the male robin nearby.

Wood Thrush Singing

I almost got eaten alive by mosquitoes while on the Loop Trail this morning listening to the lovely sounds of the wood thrush.

I finally found him sitting on a tree limb, with his back to me.  Then I tried making a recording of his song.  I hope to share it with you.

Early morning

I was in the meadow this morning when the dew was still heavy on the leaves of the grasses.

There were honey bees nectaring on the grasses, but this was the only photo that turned out.  So I decided to return later with another camera.

When I returned there were no honey bees only these blue dasher dragonflies perched on the top tips of the grasses.  Do the honey bees vanish when the sun warms up the dragonflies?

Blue vervain is blooming in the wetland.

Many garden coreopsis are blooming there also.

A second river birch has been planted.  I hope it gets plenty of water during this hot weather.

A prairie rose seen on Perimeter Road.

And the very tiniest bunny on Shady Ramble.

Construction Update

Well there is really nothing to report, just some photos to look at.

This is how the Beaumont House looks now.

The front of the house.

The construction beyond "E".  This was the new drainage baisin yesterday.

This is what it looked like today.

Blue dasher dragonfly.

Frog on a log.

Twelve-spot female dragonfly.

New bee box, but it is just here temporarily.

Before the Rain

Very early this morning, I spied this baby bunny on my patio.

A twelve-potted female dragonfly in the meadow.

An orange sulphur on the Canada thistle.

The wild bergamot, Monarda fistulosa, is starting to bloom.

A dark skipper, little glassywing, seen near the milkweed.

The little wood satyr flies only in May and June.

At the wren house next door there was plenty of activity.

Those babies are hungry.

This morsel looks like a dragonfly.

It won't be long and they will be gone from the house.

Busy Day

After a visit to the AFSC sale at Gwynedd Friends Meeting we went to see the meadows at the Morris Arboretum.

It was delightful to see the male belted kingfisher.

And the female belted kingfisher at the pond.

These delightful tree swallow babies seem to be saying is there anyone home down there in that hole.

A couple birding in the meadow, pointed out for us this yellow warbler high in a tree.

After the meadow walking, a quiet time in the rose garden was most welcome.

And a chance to watch a pollinator at work.

At 4 the bee man came to check the hives in our meadow.  They all seem to be doing well, except for the Russian Queen, which was over-priced and has under-performed.

If the weather holds the honey may be harvested by the fourth of July.