Pileated Woodpecker visit

Look at that beak!

 

Longwood Gardens Reimagined

 I am very lucky to now live about 15 miles from Longwood Gardens which is a world renown gardens.  Longwood Gardens just built a new conservatory over the past few years. I went there today and really enjoyed my visit.  I haven't been there at Christmas for at least 50 years.  I had a great time visiting and seeing some of the changes. Because I went first thing in the morning I didn't get to see the spectacular tunnels and trees and lights out on the grounds.  (more pictures to come)

My Yard ~ Northern Flickers

The past 2 weeks there have been a good numbers of Northern Flickers around my yard.  One day about 8 flickers flew in at the same time.  It was a surprise to me because I didn't know that flickers ever traveled together in groups.  Another day there were 2 here at the same time.  Most of the flickers I was able t get a good look at were the Yellow-Shafted variety. 

 

New Yard birds

 Another 2 new yard birds again today.  Loving this fall season though must say I enjoyed my 8 weeks in TX October & November 2023

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Red-shouldered Hawk #67

Swamp Sparrow #68

New Yard Birds

This fall is gearing up to be great for new yard birds.  Late October we had a large flock of Cedar Waxwings (#63) stop by with a good many immature CW's.Then there was a Sharp-shinned Hawk (#64) looking for some lunch but couldn't find any spare birds.  The birds scurry away or freeze in inside feeders that have cages around them.  Several days later there was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet (#65) that came by feeding in the garden on seeds.  And, then, a Purple Finch (#66) came by to feeder at the platform feeder.

Cedar Waxwings

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Purple Finch

Butterflies in the Yard

 After 3 days of cool temps in the low 60’s with winds; today was sunny & 75. 3 mint fresh species - Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady & Silver-spotted plus first sighting of Long-tailed since 11/1.

Silver-spotted 

Sachem

Fiery

Painted Lady

Variegated Fritillary

Long-tailed 

Gray Hairstreak

Fiery

Common Buckeye

Continuing Butterflies

 Nine species of butterflies seen here today with 3 new species. 

Orange Sulfur

Pearl Crescent

Monarch

My Yard ~ Butterflies

 Shocked and excited to have a Long-Tailed Skipper fly out of a large bushy lantana I was watering.  Also had an Ocola here along with 8 other species of butterflies.  This is really great for the end of October in a drought year.  We haven't had a freeze here yet so I still have zinnia's blooming though many of them are dyeing.  I have still been watering due to the drought.

Lantana

Zinnia

Sachem

Fiery

Long-tailed

Ocola

Ocola

Cabbage White

Orange Sulphur

Fiery

Clouded Sulphur

Common Buckeye

 

My Yard ~ Recent Butterflies

 Seen in my yard. Past few sunny days of low winds & temps 78-82 degrees has kept the butterflies going. 11 species of butterflies still flying including a Monarch, several Common-checkered, several Pearl Crescents and more. ID's below the pictures.

Common-checkered

Cloudless Sulphur

Common Buckeye - Rosa Form

Eastern-tailed Blue

Fiery

Painted Lady

Pearl Crescent

Variegated Fritillary