Beth's Patch ~ Center Back Garden and the Branch!

Our neighbors were cutting down a tree in late June and since we are always on the lookout for good branches to use in our gardens for interest, Jenny went over to talk to them.  They welcomed us to take any branches we wanted except they weren't sure what they were going to with the branch pictures below.  It's big and heavy.  Jenny & I can't lift it by ourselves.  The neighbors usually use larger branches for their smoker.  We lucked out as not only did they give us the branch, the drove it from their house around the corner to our house.  Then they carried it and left it in our back yard.  SCORE!  Initially, it was in front of the garden.  When a friend came over to pick up some plants, we hijacked her to help us move it to where it is in the garden.

My garden has a creature living in it?  What do you think it is?  We decided it's a Sea Serpent since we live by the water.

Catbird using the branch as a perch.

Cox Hall Creek WMA

Sharpie takes Catbird

My Yard ~ Rotten Fruit

Each year for the past 4-5 years I have put out rotten fruit for the butterflies.   This can be very effective to draw them into your yard as not every butterfly nectars' on plants. This year I have had another visitor to the rotten fruit - a catbird.  So I watch the as catbird chases away the butterflies and then the butterflies chase away the catbirds.  I think the catbird is feeding youngsters.

Question Mark Butterfly

Red Admiral Butterfly

Catbird

Wordless Wednesday ~ Gray Catbird singing

Cape May Point

This afternoon I did a walk with Lisa and Rob and some of their friends.  The couple are getting married tomorrow and since they are birders decided to incorporate a bird walk into the pre-wedding festivities.  Such a cool idea!
We walked the beach first. We saw a group of 4 American Oystercatchers with other 2 AO's displaying.  It is late to start nesting again but perhaps that is what is happening.  Before I left for Alaska there were at least 6 chicks split between 2 pairs and some eggs still in nests but sadly all of those chicks have been eaten except one.  I was fortunate enough to get picture of one of the AO pairs with their chicks right before leaving for my trip.  Next up were some Ring-billed Gulls on the beach.  We saw Least Terns but only one or two as the whole colony of LT has left the area.  I heard that the Nature Conservancy feels that it's because the eggs and nests were being lost to predators - perhaps fox and coyote.  Again I have some pictures of the LT with their nests and in courtship rituals from late May but I am sad not to see the terns here today.  There were also Forster's Tern, Common Terns, Black Skimmers and then a Gull tern was spotted by Rob. The ponds held a Killdeer, Mallards with Purple Martins and Tree Swallows flying over the tops. We saw Catbirds, Cowbirds, King birds, Robins and all manner of the usual summer regulars. We also saw Cabbage White butterflies and a Pearl Crescent butterfly. We ended the walk with over 50 species of birds and had fun meeting fellow birders and new friends.

Then after the walk I made a quick stop at The Triangle Park to look for butterflies. I haven't seen many butterflies since I got home and have talked to Will, expert who has said the butterfly species and overall numbers are down so far this spring/summer.  I can only hope that they start to pick up as the weather gets hotter.  The garden is looking good with lots of flowers blooming.  Then I stopped by The Meadows where I saw a Killdeer on nest out in the parking lot.