Wordless Wednesday

Wings on Wednesday

White ~ lined Sphinx Moth sipping nectar

from a Bull Thistle.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!!

Butterfly Walk

Hackberry Emperor

A Skipper on a Sawtooth Sunflower

Sawtooth Sunflower, native to Kansas

Painted Lady

In flight

Sulphur on a Sunflower

Take off

Painted Lady, ventral view, notice the small caterpillar

Painted Lady, my favorite

Painted Lady: Dorsal View

Wings on Wednesday

Ruby~throated Hummingbird

 

The Ruby~throats are doing their fattening up

process prior to heading South.  My husband sat

patiently out on the deck to capture these images.

We have been observing 1 adult male, 1 adult female, 

and 2 juveniles.  Today the 2 juvies are 

chasing each other all over the place.  I read

that the young ones may stay longer before migrating.

We are so blessed to have 1 family use our backyard

every season :-))

 

"Happy Wednesday, Everyone" 

Wings on Wednesday

Pearl Crescent
I took this photo during my visit to
South Dakota (my stomping grounds)
My in~laws have a gorgeous garden and
there were butterflies all over. This one
sat still enough to capture a few pics.

Here is another view. To find their IDs, I
get on the internet and go to butterflies and moths of
north america (google that) that site posts
lots of butterfly and moth species. Then I study my
photograph or butterfly/moth specimen and compare
it to ID'd photos on the website :-))
I'm definitely not an expert!

I'm a beginning artist as well...I've always
enjoyed drawing and sketching. I've begun
to study watercolor painting and watercolor
pencil art. I'm combining my love of the
beauty of nature with my art. I've started a
"nature sketchbook" to record sketches of nature.
Right now I'm on a kick of sketching all the real butterfly
and moth specimens that I and my family have captured.
One of the sketches is pictured above.

I'm still into birds...it's just that its been too hot
to go out looking for them. And there haven't
been many in the backyard. It turned cool today
YAYYYYY!! It was 96 degrees yesterday and it's 77 today :-))
"it's such a blessin'...it doesn't seem natural" (a quote from
the movie The Yearling)

Happy Wednesday!! Everyone!!

Butterfly & Skipper

Sachem Skipper
I took this picture in my backyard.

Gray Hairstreak

This beautiful little butterfly was posing so
nicely for me.

God's Little Creatures

Spicebush Swallowtail

Ruby~throated Hummingbird

Monarch Butterfly

Tree Frog

Wednesday Wonders

House Finch Chicks
I would say these 2 little chicks are almost
ready to fledge. I was afraid that if I took the
plant down to water it they would
try to fly too early. But, they stayed hunkered
down and very quiet as I snapped a couple
pics and proceeded to water the plant. I hung the
plant back up and thought, "that'll be the
last time I see these 2 little guys." They are
so sweet...it's amazing how they survived the heat.
This plant has hosted 2 H. Finch families and
will have successfully launched 5 chicks
this Spring/Summer.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!

Wednesday Wonders

Mississippi Kite

Moth (unidentified)

Sunset at the Arkansas River in Kansas

House Finch Chicks

They look a little gross here with their
craws stuffed full, but they've gotten
a little bigger. It amazes me how they
can survive the heat. We are having temps
over 100 degrees with no end in sight.

Happy Wednesday !!

Wednesday Wonders

Young Cardinal
I've been having a few young Cardinals
at the feeder. They look like a mess and
need to grow into their beaks :-)
But, I am so glad to have them!

New House Finch Babies
The House Finches have hatched! They are
so tiny and fuzzy. The pink you see are their
necks and the little round fuzzy at the
end is the back of their heads.

Rose of Sharon Blooms
We had a small rain a couple of days
ago which made the Rose of Sharon bush
burst into bloom. Kansas has been in the
100's temperature wise for quite awhile
which hasn't done the gardens, plants
and flowers any good. Tomorrow it's suppose
to be 107 degrees...I'm not sure about
the heat index. That's Summer in Kansas for you!

Happy Wednesday!!

Wings on Wednesday