Spotlight

When I got this image on my screen I thought the bokeh made it look like she was dancing in the spotlight, so while it may not be the most interesting hummer photo I've done, I like it.  Interesting that I only had a brief glimpse of one adult male hummer this morning.  When KangaZu and PhotoMatt were here this weekend, there were at least 4 adult males.  Like clockwork, they start heading south at the end of August.  I'll still see some passing through from further north, but P-Hummie and his nemesis, Attila the Hummie are gone for the year, headed to Mexico.  Happily, I'll still have several more weeks with females and juveniles dancing in the garden.  

This morning, I released my 4th and last Black Swallowtail butterfly, a beautiful female.  You can see her HERE on Flickr.   And a little later, I released Monarch #114, a beautiful male who flew for Ross.  He came out of the enclosure on my finger, landed briefly on my shoulder and then took to the skies, leaving me with no photos but a sweet memory of a monarch whispering in my ear.

I have 7 names left on my dedications list for Monarch releases, and probably have at least 50 more monarchs to fly in the next 30 days, so please do let me know if you want me to release one for someone you miss.  Some of the butterflies who don't have someone specific to fly for are going to be dedicated to the "butterfly children" (children with Epidermolysis Bullosa).  Fellow blipper SueJay50 told me about this horrible disease and asked that I make some releases for the children who've been lost to EB.  

Another scorcher of a day in the northeast but it should be a little better by Friday.  It really is unpleasant to be out for long.  On the upside, the caterpillars love it and are growing like crazy, eating like crazy, pooping like crazy.  

Happy Hump Day.

xo
Debbi