Lost Post: Wood Thrush and Recent Canon Shots

I have two cameras--a canon SLR and a point and shoot.  I tend to grab the point and shoot more often than the SLR so the other day I was surprised to see what was on my Canon picture card.  The oldest shot was from May...

Wood Thrush    May 16, 2013

I remember walking down the driveway and seeing this wood thrush.  He or she kept circling me and landing on tree limbs.   I thought the thrush was trying to lead me away from the nest.   I photographed the bird several times but this shot was the best.  Only when I saw the photo on the computer did I see the nesting material.

 Wild Geranium   May, 2013

I also photographed one of my favorite native wildflowers, wild geranium, which fills our woods in May.

A close up of the flower shows lines radiating out.  I read that these lines are supposed to guide the insects, usually small native bees, to the center where the nectar is found.  I am not sure how scientists figured that out.

Here's a more recent photo...

Purple Coneflower with caterpillar   July 29, 2013

My coneflowers did better this year, maybe because of all the rain.  I don't know what this tiny caterpillar is but he stayed on this flower most of the day.   I have seen a lot of soldier beetles and crescent butterflies on the flowers but most of the butterflies were on my butterfly bush.

 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   August, 2013

The butterfly bush grew well also.   On the very few sunny days in August, I counted over a dozen of butterflies, mostly swallowtails but also fritillary, red-spotted purple, eastern pipevine, skipper as well as honey bees and hummingbirds. 

Monarch Butterfly    July 30, 2013

 I spotted this monarch at the end of July--the only monarch I have seen this year in my backyard.  Now, I know why I let the milkweeds grow.   While the monarch butterfly feeds on many different wildflowers, the caterpillar only feeds on milkweeds.  Orange milkweed will probably look best in your garden but I have let the common milkweed grow as well 

Monarch Caterpillar   August 23, 2013

This caterpillar was found on the very same common milkweed plant about 3 weeks later.  He gorged on leaves for a couple of days, then disappeared, no doubt to make a chrysalis so that he can emerge as another butterfly.   For more information about monarchs,  go to the Monarch Butterfly Website .

My lessons from this post:
1. Plant more native wildflowers, especially milkweeds, to attract bees and butterflies.
2. Take my Canon with me more often on walks. It's not that heavy!

Bald Knob Hike at Mountain Lake

On Thursday, I led a hike to Bald Knob for the Elderhostel being held that week at Mountain Lake Hotel.



On the way up to the look out, I pointed out a dark-eyed junco nest which was just on the side of the road (but flagged by researchers). Juncos have left my yard (2000 ft. elevation) in April to nest up north but are resident year round at Mountain Lake because it is 4000 feet in elevation.


The trail really was a road so the flowers were mostly typical of field or road sides such as this milkweed with a black swallowtail butterfly. My milkweed at home had already finished blooming.

The theme of the elderhostel was on stories so I talked about the uses of coltsfoot, plant, and witch hazel tree which were growing along the road.


This Rosebay Rhododendrun blooms later than the more common Catawba Rhododendrun.



About 24 hiked the one-mile but steep trail/road up to the lookout.



The look out is 4363 feet in elevation.



These two men looked precarious on the cantilevered rock.



At the hotel, I noticed a tree swallow had built a nest on the porch outside the gift shop.



When I got too close, she got out of her nest. I left soon after so she could get back to her nest.


On the drive back, I took this panoramic view at a pull out on Mountain Lake Road (Rt. 700), looking toward where I live.


I also saw my first Monarch Butterfly there---what a good day it was.

Note about Mountain Lake Conservancy: There are many trails on the 2600 acres that the Conservancy manages. The area borders on the Appalachian Trail. You don't have to be a hotel guest. There is a $3 parking charge for the day. They also have "Dirty Dancing" weekends regularly for hotel guests--see Mountain Lake Hotel website.

House Hunting Wren and Migrations

Every winter, Carolina Wrens sleep on my front porch. This wren seemed to be checking out the clay birdhouse. Not sure she will like it since bumble bees nested there this summer although they are gone now. The last few nights have been very warm so maybe the wrens don't need the cozy shelter.

Migrations

Birds are migrating through here. The American Redstart has been seen in our little pond/waterfall this week. I have seen this bird before but not so close to the house. Also very close was a Brown Thrasher in a thicket of blackberries and multi-flora roses.


Monarch Butterflies are flying south to Mexico, passing through Virginia right now. It's amazing that they fly that far on such fragile wings.

I saw one earlier this week in my yard and then this one yesterday. They seem to stay for several hours feeding on the nectar and then leaving. I thought I saw one flying high in the sky, above the trees.

With the sunlight shining through, the wings look like stained glass windows.

I saw two Monarchs this morning at two different stoplights in town. Both butterflies seemed to know to fly well above the traffic. I wondered if anyone else noticed.

Good Migrations!