...Can't resist!

The resident hummie population is definitely starting to thin out and I decided that I just had to blip this one today. After all, it won't be much longer until there are none left here. (sad face) As it was, I had to sit outside for over 10 minutes before I actually saw one - not at all like a mere two weeks ago when they were swarming all around me every time I stepped out back. There is at least one mature male left although I expect he will be leaving any day now. (another extremely sad face!) Here you have a juvenile male, with his first few red gorget feathers fully visible as he sips nectar from the Thai Basil on the deck. If he survives his long migration and his first winter, when he returns next summer his throat will be brilliant red, like his dad, P-Hummie. He's worth a l0ok in LARGE.

I got up early today and went over to have a nice long walk along the lake. I had to look to see if that monstrous spider was still there and - surprise - she was! And today she had breakfast (what appeared to be a bumble bee) all wrapped up and ready to eat. Vokdaman confirmed that she's a gal, based on the lack of "boxing gloves." I think we should call her Brunhilda - how does that sound? Euwwwwww. I can't believe I am photographing spiders!!!

In less creepy news - I also saw what I believe is a juvenile common green darner hiding in the grass, and a female pond hawk (the same species as what I blipped yesterday.) I also saw a mystery warbler, perhaps an immature female prairie warbler, and an unknown young sparrow.. Hoping to get id's on both of these from my birder-friend.

Last year on this day, I blipped a Hummer in attack mode.. Because of all the storms last year, none of the hummers had started migrating at this time.

Dinner tonight is ravioli with fresh chopped tomatoes and garlic from the farm and herbs from my garden. Hope you've all had a marvelous Hump Day!

Thank you for all the kind comments, stars and hearts on yesterday's dragon. Another month and they will be but a memory here in my part of the world...