Birds and the Bees, flowers and ...

The humming birds don't mind me sitting near their feeder in the morning while having coffee. In fact the bold one doesn't mind me standing next to the feeder. He just zooms in and gives me a look as if to ask if I'll keep filling the feeder.

The bluebirds come around each morning and evening but never very close. So this is the zoom at 300mm. It is soft and not tack sharp, but I don't mind as the distance was about 100+ feet from where I was.

I was delighted. I took a photo of the resident Catbird, but she isn't very pretty and she was just in the yard.
The Orioles were easy last year, they hung out on the humming bird feeder. This year I think the Catbird has chased them into the trees a bit further out. I can see them flipping about in the Buckthorn woods and in the far off apple trees, but they have tended to stay in the upper canopy and hard to 'shoot'. Hmmm.

My next quandry was 'how' to make the bird shot interesting? Well, that certainly is a challenge as birds don't pose. But I'll keep working at it.
We saw a red bird a couple of days ago that was not a Scarlet Tanager, nor was it a Cardinal. We think it was a Summer Tanager. But could it be? They are not usually in this area. 
I've seen the bird a few times since and the song is similar to the Summer Tanager. However, to be sure I really want this bird to stop and show itself!

Tuesday afternoon Charlie and I decided to see how the forest and creek looked. If the mules were better browsers, they would have tons of food.

The creek was dry in two places. Just mud and rocks. I haven't seen that way since 1996. The upper pastures were brown and crunchy yet the mules seemed very disinterested in hay. Obviously they are finding something to eat.

We walked along the rocks and I heard some noises in the tall grass. I spotted what I thought was a dragon fly. This took about 6 tries before I got this. Creeping up on these damsel or dragon flies are not easy! Thank goodness for the better reach of the lens combined with the EM 1!

212mm focal length

The find of the day was The Blessing Moth, also known as Haploa Clymene. Also called the Spiritual Moth, Jesus Moth, and other names. Seriously. I have never seen one before. This was pretty cool.

215mm

I did spot some white but just passed it off as bird crap. But I turned around for a closer look. And there it was. I was thankful for the long reach again. Yes, it did take more than one try, but I think I got it. Some sort of legend says it brings you good luck.

I didn't know it at the time but I did say to Charlie that we really needed some rain.

And no wandering in the summer is complete without bees and flies.

I have no idea what is happening here on one of my white Petunias.

And it wasn't the clearest shot, but I was not going any nearer!

300mm [softer focus at this length]

Wasp and fly? Huh. It shall remain a mystery.

Now I wonder if the Blessing Moth was able to bring the rain we so badly needed? We had two inches overnight. It came down a bit too hard, but we will take it.