You Can Run but You Can’t Hide!
Spring is welcomed with new excitement every year. It especially revs up a degree or two for me because of the anticipation of one of my favorite birds returning for a visit-the Hummingbird.
What a quizzical and unique creature. It’s a combination of a helicopter and supersonic jet rolled into one. It can hover, turn on a dime and zap out of sight in a burst of blurred speed makeing it highly difficult to follow to wherever it lands.
However, this tiny jewel, that I’ve named Lucy, has claimed my yard as her own for the last two years and on this particular day I was lucky enough to follow her flight into a nearby tree. Now grant you, once there she was extremely difficult to find, but with persistence I struck gold and as the shutter on my camera clicked, I gleefully recited, “Oh Lucy..You can run…but you can’t hide!”
Give it a Boost!
It was the end of the summer when taking photo’s of crawling things can become quite interesting.
On this particular afternoon I was totally bored and decided to grab the camera and head off to the back yard.
It was that time of day that the afternoon sun was angling in directions that can be exasperating but intriguing at the same time. So I decided to play with the aperture settings and see if I could change a somewhat plain subject and give it a boost of interest. What ya think? Did I achieve it?
A Resting Dragonfly..say it aint so!
Two pairs of transparent wings, an elongated body, large multifaceted eyes, and six leg (though they can not walk well) is the making of a dragonfly.
The one pictured here is a male Common Whitetail who I was lucky enough to catch resting (in between speedy flights), on a seed pod of a Day-lily.
Dragonfly Quick Facts:
1. Valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, wasps, and very rarely butterflies.
2. Dragonflies in general have a maximum speed of 10–15 metres (22-34 mph) per second with average cruising speed of about 4.5 metres (10 mph) per second.[4]
Related articles
- The Life of a Dragonfly (withywindlenatureprograms.com)
Splish Splash I was Taking a Bath!
I happened upon a community of bath loving geese as I was out walking my dog.
There must have been at least 12 to 15 that had gather, no doubt gearing up for their migration flight.
It was quite entertaining watching them flutter about on the water. This one was truly into his bath.
A Tightrope of Blooms
Butterflies are quite the acrobats, ready and able to display their ability to defy gravity.
Whether it is by crawling across the top of a flower, hanging upside down on a stem or walking a miniature tightrope of blooms, they are truly amazing little creatures and enjoyable to watch.
Miss Ruby
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are solitary. Adults only come into contact with each other for the purpose of mating, and both males and females will aggressively defend feeding locations within their territory.
This aggressiveness becomes most pronounced in late summer to early fall as they fatten up for their migration across the Gulf of Mexico.
This migration has long confounded scientists. It is a 500-mile, non-stop flight over water which would seemingly require a caloric energy that far exceeds an adult hummingbird’s body weight of 3 grams.
However, researchers discovered the tiny birds can nearly double their body mass in preparation for their Gulf crossing. The additional mass, stored as fat, provides enough energy for the birds to achieve this amazing flight.
I was able to take a quick photo of this female Ruby-throated hummingbird as she briefly paused from her sweet tasting dinner. If you would like to see a picture of her counterpart, the male Ruby-throated hummingbird, click on the “wings of beauty” category located in the right side panel under Living Art and scroll down.
The Purple Emperor
The Purple Emperor butterfly can be found in the woodlands of central Europe and Southern Britain.
It is a large brown butterfly with iridescent wings that shine blue or purple in the light.
Purple Emperors do not feed from flowers. Instead they feed from honeydew secreted by aphids, dung, and rotting animal carcasses.
They are high flyers and spend most of their time in the canopy of trees.
This one decided to come to ground and momentarily bask in the sun before fluttering off to feast on a nearby honeydew melon, courtesy of the butterfly keepers at Brookside Gardens “Wings of Fancy” in Silver Spring Md.
Motmot- The Dirt Digger
Motmots can be found in Mexico, Central America, and most of South America. They reside in rainforests, shady gardens, and shaded coffee farms.
Motmots have unique nest which they dig in the shape of tunnels 5 – 14 feet long and four inches wide with a nesting chamber at the end.
Both males and females begin excavating between August and October. Then they leave the nest to return the following March or April for breeding season in which both males and females share parental responsibility.
I am wondering if this little fellow is finding me as interesting as I find him?
The Lady in Red
Not everyone can wear polka-dots but this little lady pulls them off quite nicely.
The Boys
The Mallard is thought to be the most abundant duck on earth.
They have a life span of 5 to 10 years and are a familiar sight in the Northern Hemisphere.
Mallards form pairs usually in October and November. Those pairs will migrate and remain together until the female lays eggs at the beginning of nesting season (late February to early March), at which time she is left by the male who will join up with other males to await the molting period.
These two males, known as drakes, seem to be enjoying each others company while taking a leisurely mid-day swim. I’m glad that I was able to catch a glimpse of their brilliant plumage before the molting period begins.
Nuthatch-Tree Entertainer
Nuthatches are small compact birds characterized by large heads, short tails and legs, with powerful bills and feet equipped with long claws.
They are very vocal, and use an assortment of whistles, trills and calls.
Nuthatches nest in cavities; except for the two species of rock nuthatches, all use tree holes, making a simple cup lined with soft materials on which to rest eggs.
Nuthatches forage along tree trunks and branches and are members of the same feeding guild as woodpeckers. But unlike woodpeckers and treecreepers, they do not use their tails for additional support. Instead they rely on their strong legs and feet to progress in jerky hops which allows them to be able to descend head-first and hang upside-down beneath twigs and branches.
All nuthatches store food, especially seeds, in tree crevices, in the ground, under small stones, or behind bark flakes, and these caches are remembered for as long as 30 days. Their habit of wedging a large food item in a crevice and then hacking at it with their strong bills gives this group its English name.
I was completely captivated as I watched this little fellow work over the tree trunk with keen precision. His upside down, right side up, side ways, and circular movements proved to be more then entertaining.
Afternoon Spear Fishing
The Great Blue Heron is found throughout most of North America, as far north as Alaska, and the southern Canadian provinces.
It feeds in shallow water or at the water’s edge during both the night and the day, but especially around dawn and dusk. It uses its long legs to wade through shallow water, and spears fish or frogs with its long, sharp bill.
I was fortunate to find this fellow getting ready for a afternoon snack. His fishing tactics I must say were outstanding and his ability to spear his catch yielded 100% success on every first strike. Needless to say, it was impressive.
The Impressive Atlas
The Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) is a large moth found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, and common across the Malay archipelago.
They are considered the largest moths in the worldin terms of total wing surface area [upwards of c. 400 cm2 (62 sq in)]. And their wingspans are also amongst the largest, from 25–30 cm (10–12 in).
In India, Atlas moths are cultivated for their silk in a non-commercial capacity. Their silk, brown and wool-like, is secreted as broken strands and thought to have great durability.
The Atlas moth is truly impressive in size and its 12 inch wingspan is mesmerizing. I was thrilled to be able to capture a size comparison when a Heliconius butterfly landed on the root of a vine located to the right of the Atlas moth. This gives you a pretty good idea just how big the Atlas is.
You can see an Atlas moth up close and personal at Brookside Gardens in Silver Spring MD.
Fragile Winged Acrobat
This Swallowtail butterfly proves that there is no angle that can escape his acute acrobatic skills.
A Pelican String
Blue sky hovers above.
A line of white clouds drifting through.
Ocean waves roll white upon sandy shore.
Gray rocks set barrier between land and sea.
String of Pelicans fly gracefully in between.
Perfect serenity.
Feathered Jewel
The Ruby Throated Hummingbird, a flying jewel. This male takes a slight break from lunch to strike a pose for my camera. It was to my delight and I was the one who walked away fulfilled.
The Bumble in the Blossoms
On a sunny spring day this busy Bumble Bee enjoys the sweet nectar offered by the blossoms of a Cherry tree.
Ducks in Tranquilty
A mating pair of Mallard ducks seem to be enjoying the tranquility of the lake. Soon they will gather with their fellow water fowl to embark on their seasonal migration.
They will remain together as a mated pair through the fall migration and early spring, until the female lays her eggs. It is at that time that her male companion will leave her side and join the other males for the molting season.
Owl Butterfly
Owl Butterfly
Butterflies in the genus Caligo are commonly called Owl butterflies, after their huge eyespots, which resemble owls’ eyes. They are found in the rainforests and secondary forests of Mexico, Central and South America.
Owl butterflies are very large, 65–200 mm, and fly only a few metres at a time, so avian predators have little difficulty in following them to their settling place. However, the butterflies preferentially fly in dusk, when few avian predators are around.
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons on Lake Elkhorn in Columbia Md.
Flamingos on Parade
Flamingos often stand on one leg, the other tucked beneath the body. The reason for this behavior is not fully understood. Some suggest that the flamingo, like some other animals, has the ability to have half of its body go into a state of sleep, and when one side is rested, the flamingo will swap legs and then let the other half sleep, but this has not been proven.
The Irresitable Iridescent Grackle
My attention was caught by the splashing of water and when I looked I thought I saw two blackbirds enjoying a May bath. Then one jumped out of the water and onto the nearby rock.
Then I took a second glance due to the vibrant blues and purples that danced in the colors of his feathers. Later a friend of mine was able to help me to identify my beautiful feathered friend. He is a Grackle.
Though his name may be plain there is nothing plain about this iridescent little bird.
Butterfly and Art
A combination of God’s handiwork mixed with mine.
The Monarch
The royal Monarch proudly perched atop one of his favorite flowers drinking in the sweet nectar. He had no problem posing for this picture.
Path Pictures is designed to offer a small resting place for folks to take time and "stop and view the roses."
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