Dora the Explorer

Well, not really - but this is a katydid nymph (probably a Bush Katydid) and he/she looked like the ultimate adventurer, poised on the tip of the lily.  I always find these nymphs on the day lilies in our garden every spring/summer and enjoy trying to get photos of them.  Of course, if invade their personal space too much, they jump which can be rather startling...for everyone.  

I had several attempts today to get one of the downy woodpeckers feeding babies, but I just wasn't happy with any of the images.  My plan is to get up very early tomorrow when the light is better (and when the birds are hungry) and see if I can get something better.  

I checked the bluebird box just a few minutes ago and there are now two perfect pale blue eggs ... I'm just thrilled that they are nesting here again this summer.  And this nest box will allow me to get some quick snaps of the babies when they hatch which I was unable to do with the first brood.  

I posted a pair of sexy flies on Flickr and if you you continue to click through the following 10 images, you will see some herons, gators, purple gallinule, limpkin and another frigatebird, all from my trip to FL.  We sure packed a lot into 2 1/2 days!  

The wren box by the driveway is definitely ready to fledge - perhaps they went today, I'll have to check.  The second pair still isn't on eggs, so not sure what the heck is doing on there.  They are way behind schedule.

Oh, and the first two hummingbird fledglings showed up today - let the games begin!!  Already the buzzing and chattering is escalating and I've put up another feeder to try to keep hummie tempers in check.  Gosh, I do love this time of year.  

Garden notes:  Red bee balm is about to bloom and some of the phlox in my side-garden is blooming.  The phlox in the butterfly garden is about 4 feet tall now so I expect it will bloom in the next week.  


Thank you for all the love on my damsel-in-distress yesterday.  I found another today, but I was too late to save it.  And the spider looked very happy!  Not sure, but he may been wiping his little face with a napkin... Or maybe not.

Happy Hump Day, people.

Debbi