Wilke's Mining Bee

I am not 100% certain of my id on this, but pretty sure I've got it right.  I don't see as many mining bees here as I'd like so when I spotted this little one resting on a leaf in the garden, I was in stealth mode right away.  And I managed to get a handful of shots before it was gone.  This image is a composite of 3 images stacked in PS.  The bee is small, about 1/3 inch or so (8 - 11 mm).  Although the species is native to Europe, it has been in the US for a long time with no ill effects and could be considered naturalized at this point (in my non-professional opinion).  

Another fun find in the garden was a Speckled Sharpshooter (a leaf hopper) who posed on my thumb long enough for a few shots.  See Extra.

All is well with the nest boxes.  One brood of wrens is well feathered; the second is starting to show feathers and eyes have just slitted open.  The swallows are still naked and blind.  And the bluebirds are definitely staking out one of the remaining nest boxes as there was much singing and perching today.  I moved the box location a bit when I cleaned it after the first brood and it is easier for me to easily see now, while still far enough away that the parents don't get spooked.  

It's been another beautiful day and I've spent most of it outside.  I can't say that I've been particularly productive, but I've given both cameras a thorough workout and enjoyed myself immensely.  More baby downy woodpeckers showing up now - such polite little things relative to most baby birds.  And it has been almost a week since our last bear sighting so that's a win.  

And I will tag this for TT even though it doesn't fit the theme of "tiny toy".  It's cute though, so maybe that counts!

xo
Debbi