Fly-by

Hummer numbers are definitely on the wane, which makes me want to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of them before the garden no longer resounds with the sounds of angry chattering and buzzing wings.  All of this by way of saying that you can expect to see a few more hummer shots from me before summer is officially over!  This one has a single red feather on his neck, if you look closely.  I captured this as he was leaving a patch of salvia in my garden when he paused for just a moment, hovering and looking right at me.  Little poser.

My Monarch Project hit a snag today when #42 emerged with some pretty significant deformities.  She is missing two legs and the tarsel on her right leg (life a foot, and what they use to grip.)  Her hind wings haven't fully "inflated" leaving them slightly droopy.  In spite of all of that, she is able to climb the netting on the enclosure and continues to spread and flex her wings.  On advice from some monarch experts, I am going to let her rest overnight and for part of the day tomorrow and see if she gains enough strength to fly.  If so, I'll release her - and if not, well...I will have to do the right thing.  No idea why she came out with such deformities - it's possible something might have gotten at the chrysalis, although unlikely.  Probably more likely that it is "just one of those things."  Anyway, two more are looking ready to go for tomorrow.  My neighbor and I released Numbers 39 and 40 last evening.  I'll put a photo of her with #40 in Extra - her boy didn't want to leave her finger!

No sign of the red-breasted nuthatch today so suspect he's moved to a more suitable habitat.  Sure was fun seeing him.  

Tomorrow I'm off to meet my naturalist group for a walk - weather is supposed to be perfect so I'm looking forward to it.  

Two other pics on Flickr, starting HERE with a Giant Swallowtail and following with a juvenile goldfinch. 

Don't forget that tomorrow is TinyTuesday!  (TT67)