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

The Prothonotary Warbler

I added a new bird siting (new to me) this past weekend. We were at Irvin Cobb Marina on Kentucky Lake in Western Kentucky where we were going to boat with family. While sitting on the dock, this golden bird caught my eye as he flew to a bird house hanging from a pole.

At first his bright yellow color made me think he was a goldfinch. As I edged closer trying to get a few snaps of him (on my iPhone), I could see his beak better and knew it wasn't a goldfinch. The finch has a conical shaped bill to crack open seeds; but not this bird. His beak was the slender beak of a warbler. 

I knew he was a warbler but no clue which one. I did note his beady black eye, blue-gray wings, and the white coloring under his tail.

Thankfully, one of the other boaters on the dock knew exactly what kind of warbler he was. 

Siting this Prothonotary Warbler just made my day. I love boating on the lake, but bird watching always comes into the picture for me.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at the Prothonotary Warbler - Judy.

Linking to:

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturdays 

Camera Critters on Saturday

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy

MET Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

My Corner of the World @ Photographing New Zealand on Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention

Blooms in the Gardens

Today, I am thankful for the flowers blooming in my gardens. They make my heart just sing when I see them blooming. 

I'm thrilled these orange daylilies bloomed. Last year I ordered several orange daylilies to plant and this year they are just beautiful. 

I little pink zinnia. 

Do you see the swallowtail butterfly on the purple coneflowers?

The next four pics are a different variety of zinnia. They may be Giant Cactus Zinnias. I ordered the seeds but can't remember for sure what they were called. 

I had some issues with Japanese Beetles eating on the centers. Look closely and you can see the legs of the beetle just left of the center on a petal. 

 Thanks for stopping to see my blooms. Have a great day - Judy.

 Linking to:

Make-It-Pretty Monday’s @ The Dedicated House

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Celebrate Your Story @ Zucchini Sisters on Monday

MET Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Monday 

Wonderful Wednesday @ Oh My Heartsie Girl on Monday pm

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party @ Lou Lou Girls at 8 pm on Monday

All About Home Link Party @ Common Ground on Monday pm

MMM Block Party @Keeping It Simple



Image-in-ing @Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday 


Classy Flamingo Blog Party @ Poinsettia Drive on Tuesday pm

Tuesday Turn About @ My Wee Abode

Charming Homes & Gardens @ Dabbling & Decorating on Wednesdays

To Grandma's House We Go DIY Link Party @ Grandma's House DIY on Wednesday

Share Your Style Link Party @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6pm

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life


Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday at 9 pm

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Farmhouse Friday @ The Painted Hinge

Home Matters Link Party @ Modern on Monticello on Friday

You're the Star - Home Feature @ Kippi at Home  

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Saturday Sparks Link Party @ Pieced Pastimes on Saturday