Birds, Bees and Butterflies

Hello!  This robin was part of a large flock that showed up in the neighborhood this week. They were eating berries in the woods surrounding the house.

I'm so happy they discovered my birdbath, as it brought them in closer and I was able to get a few photos.

I rarely see robins down here.  This is the third time in eight years. 

What a goof!  They stayed for a couple of days and then went on their way.  

This little Prairie Warbler challenged me to get a shot of him.  It was an overcast day, and he stood out like a bright ornament in the trees.  

I don't see him as often as the Yellow Rumped or the Palm Warbler, and this is the first time I've been able to grab a couple of shots.

There's definite room for improvement, so I'll be on the lookout for this guy again.  

Here's an old pic of the Yellow Rumped Warbler or Butter Butt as he's affectionately called.

And this is the Palm Warbler (on that same overcast day).  You can see how these little warblers can be somewhat confusing to identify.

My favorite is the Yellow-Throated Warbler.  What a beauty.  And he's easy to ID! 

 

I also like how the Black and White Warbler creeps up and down the tree trunks like a nuthatch.  Gosh, I miss seeing the nuthatches!  My brother sends me photos of them from Wisconsin, so I won't complain too much :)

The Gulf Fritillary comes to visit a lot in the butterfly garden.  I had no idea butterflies liked marigolds.  I grew these from seed for the first time in years and they have such a strong, beautiful fragrance.

There's usually two that come in together, so I've named them Gully and Fritz.  

The Cloudless Sulphur butterfly has been visiting lately too.  I usually see them floating through the garden instead of visiting it.  I'm happy they're stopping to fill up at the Pentas!

The Long Tailed Skipper likes his picture taken too.  And he's absolutely gorgeous.  I love blue and brown together. 

I adore these beautiful Iridescent Green Bees!  

And this guy!  So darn cute!

Next time I'll tell you about my little vegetable garden that got a late start because of Hurricane Irma and then took a big hit because of the unusual cold snap we had.  But we keep on trying! 💚