At the Feeders and in the Trees #40

Fewer hummers are visiting this week so I'm sharing a couple more pics of them before they are gone.

It's the molting season and I got lucky and snapped a few pics of a cardinal in molting.

During molting, birds' feathers are replaced.

The Carolina Wren visited this week too. Sorry, not my best pics but you can take a look. The two wrens were just a little outside of my focus range.

I love the birds so I am always grateful for their visits - Judy.

Linking to:

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

The Hummers Are Still Visiting

 Although it is getting late in the season, I bought a new hummingbird feeder and hung it in a tree off of my deck. To my delight, a hummer started visiting right away.

Seems like no matter how many times I see the hummers at my feeders, it is always a thrill to watch them.

The Ruby-throated  Hummingbird is the most common hummer east of the Mississippi River. 

I feel fortunate to live in an area where hummers return each year.

This hummer spends its winters in Central America, Mexico, and Florida.

 

This is a female, notice the absence of the red throat (visible on the male). 

 

Did you know the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only hummer to bread in eastern North America?

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed my pics of the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Judy.

Linking to:

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

A Surprise On the Deck

 I stepped out on my deck this morning to take a look at my flowers but look what caught my eye!

I believe this is an White Ermine Moth and it has black speckling. You can see a little of it's orange and black coloring on the top side of it's abdomen. 

He was crawling between the boards then on top of the boards. 

I read that the bodies of this species create relatively strong toxins, so it has few natural predators (from here).

Thanks for stopping by, make it a fun day - Judy.

Linking to:

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

The American Goldfinch in My Garden

Recently, I stepped out on my back deck and caught a glimpse of a goldfinch on the coneflowers in my gardens. 

Who wouldn't notice the brilliant yellow color of the goldfinch and his conical bill. 

I couldn't step back in the house quick enough to reach for my camera and start snapping pics. My first few pics were hardly in focus. 

I hadn't taken pics of a goldfinch in a while, so I was really excited. When the finch was ready to move on, he hopped over to some Black-eyed Susan flowers.

Do you have the same excitement I do when you get a chance to photograph a bird you haven't seen for a while and or completely new bird? 

Thanks for stopping by - Judy

Linking to:

My Corner of the World @ Photographing New Zealand on Wednesday

Image-in-ing @Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday 

Charming Homes & Gardens @ Dabbling & Decorating on Wednesdays

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturdays 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

 

Coneflowers, A Bee and A Butterfly

The coneflowers have taken over two of my garden flower beds this summer but I am thankful that I can enjoy the beauty of these purple coneflowers.

Not just for their beauty, but for the pollen and nectar these flowers provide for the honey bees. If you look closely, you can see a bee on the coneflower. 

The worker bees gather enough nectar to feed their entire colonies. 

Another visitor to the coneflowers is a beautiful swallowtail butterfly.

The coneflowers provide nectar for the butterflies too. 

They help spread pollen.

Bees, flowers and butterflies just go together and are an important part to our survival. 

Thanks for stopping by to see my coneflowers, bees and butterflies - Judy.

Linking to:

My Corner of the World @ Photographing New Zealand on Wednesday

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturdays 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm