A nature photographer’s images and stories of birds, butterflies, and other creatures from her backyard near Orlando, FL
October 7, 2010 - Tonight I was going out to water the new sod when I stopped short, having just seen this cardinal hopping around in the flower bed right beside the door. He didn’t mind when I came back with my camera and shot a few pictures through the window in the door. I’m not sure if this […]
October 6, 2010 - Our neighborhood Yellow-Throated Warbler, affectionately called Bow Tie, isn’t appearing at our feeders regularly yet. But we see him periodically in the treetops around the neighborhood. As Mum-mum says, he’s being a “real bird,” and we likely won’t see him at the feeders while the insect population is plentiful. (With all the midge flies around […]
October 5, 2010 - This evening we noticed a Cattle Egret climbing on a topiary. We thought it was pretty unusual, then he reached in and grabbed a lizard! I had no idea that egrets ate lizards. Squirt wants!!
October 4, 2010 - We had a great walk this evening. We saw several Palm Warblers, a Yellow-throated Warbler, at least five Killdeer, a Loggerhead Shrike, a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, and we heard an Eastern Phoebe and a Belted Kingfisher. I really liked the bokeh in this shot of the Palm Warbler by the pond.
October 3, 2010 - Rich and I were happy to relax today after putting out 1 pallet of sod, 3 cubic yards of mulch, and 4 new sprinkler valves on Friday and Saturday! This evening I was outside connecting the microjets to the new valves (gotta love poly flexible pipe – it’s so easy!!) I saw Zorro, our backyard […]
October 2, 2010 - By 5:00 all the sod was out. We have a front yard again! It’s so much more attractive than our big brown mud pie. :) Rich did a great job resodding the area between the sidewalk and driveway. There are lots of cuts because of the shape of the driveway and because of the utility […]
October 2, 2010 - This one is definitely “what were we thinking?”, not just “what was Jess thinking?” It’s so much cheaper to put the sod out yourself…but you sure work hard to do it! The sod company seemed to have lost our order, so after several phone calls, our sod was finally delivered at 10am. (Right when it […]
October 1, 2010 - Well, the sod never showed up, but we did get the new sprinkler valves all in. They even work. I dug up the pipes and the area for the new valve box, then Rich did all the pipe plumbing magic while I moved around the mulch. Then we got it all filled in. Thanks again […]
October 1, 2010 - Rich made me revise the title. Originally it was “What were we thinking!?” but he says it’s all my fault! The smell of fall in the air and the slightly cooler temperatures made me very ambitious to do yard work. This weekend we are installing the valves for our new microjet sprinkler system, and we […]
September 26, 2010 - The Palm Warblers come back to Florida in September, but we don’t seem to see them in the oak trees around our house until October 1. They have been pretty consistent over the past three or four years, always arriving within a day or two. Well, Goldy is happy to announce that we saw our […]
September 25, 2010 - We saw Bow Tie last week, and I’ve heard him several times since, but today was the first day he posed for the camera. He was in the oak trees at the entrance to Fox Hunt. Since the original image was pretty dark (it was after sunset), I lightened it in Photoshop using Shadows/Highlights, Levels, […]
September 23, 2010 - We haven’t seen a bunny around Stoneybrook West for several months. It was fun to see this one tonight and realize that they are still around!
September 21, 2010 - The Little Blue Herons in this neighborhood sure like to fly away!
September 20, 2010 - It’s been really windy for the past week or so, and the poor birds are having trouble flying! Check out Missy’s Diner for a picture of the hummingbird that is visiting Mum-mum and Dyeyo! How cool!! :) :) :)
September 19, 2010 - Or rather, a newly identified visitor! Rich and I both had been hearing these Killdeer around the house, but it wasn’t until we saw them at the pond tonight that we felt confident in identifying them. The picture was handheld in the twilight from across the pond…maybe next time they’ll let me get closer and […]
September 17, 2010 - We went pond-hopping on our walk tonight, and saw a Little Blue Heron in each. He kept flying off annoyed each time he saw me. Finally at the last pond, where we almost never see birds, we saw him eating a dragonfly. He tossed it around for a few seconds before doing the last gulp. […]
September 16, 2010 - The Anhinga was fishing as we walked by the pond tonight. He caught two fish within a couple of minutes. Squirt wants!!
September 15, 2010 - It’s starting to feel a little like fall. The temperatures have cooled a few degrees, there’s a nice breeze in the evening, and the sun is shifting in the sky, causing the evening light to be great. Tonight we saw a total of five Sand Hill Cranes on our walk.
September 14, 2010 - Tonight as I was pruning roses, a tiny bird hopped out onto a rose cane. He stared at me, and I stared at him, and then he flew back to the shelter of the viburnum. I only saw him for a split second, but I saw dark gray and olive. I think it was a […]
September 13, 2010 - There were three mockingbirds in the backyard tonight, all foraging for their dinners. They are fun to watch when they flash their wings to try to scare up some insects. This mockingbird probably didn’t realize how he was posing in great sunset light – but he did let me walk right up to him and […]
September 12, 2010 - It was a very exciting evening for bird-watchers at Stoneybrook West. First we saw Bow Tie, our little Yellow-Throated warbler that comes to visit Goldilocks each year. First we heard his little call (almost like a cardinal, but not quite) and then we saw him flitting through the palm trees. Welcome back, little guy! Free […]
September 10, 2010 - Tonight on our walk we came across these two Sand Hill Cranes. They were pretty close to the path and I started to photograph them. Then they moved off on the golf course, and I followed a few steps. I was glad I did, because they started to dance. I had just my 400mm prime […]
September 9, 2010 - I had my long lens with me when Rich and I walked last week, and the sunset was gorgeous.
September 8, 2010 - It was rainy and gross out and Rich and I pulled up into the driveway to see these two House Finches perched on the roof. They didn’t know what to think about the camera that peeked out the window and went click, click!
September 2, 2010 - This Tricolored Heron was posing on the Stoneybrook West clubhouse dock tonight. The evening light was great.
September 1, 2010 - There’s a tiny hint of fall in the air, as we enjoy sub-90 degree temperatures and a nice breeze in the evenings. We took our walk last night enjoying the first decent sunset light in over a week. These juvenile White Ibises were flying over Black Lake and I like the way the sun illuminates […]
August 31, 2010 - We enjoyed watching this anhinga fishing in the pond by Pebble Ridge this evening. Then he came up with a fish! I was glad I had my camera and long lens with me.
August 30, 2010 - This Black Swallowtail spent several hours nectaring on Carla’s pink penta bush this weekend. I didn’t realize one plant held enough nectar to keep a butterfly feeding for so long.
August 27, 2010 - When the lawn guy said that we needed to water in today’s fertilizer treatment, I’m not sure he was talking about inches and inches of water!! It poured tonight. I guess Squirt’s rain dance was pretty effective! Go on and shake your tail, Squirt We need ra-ain! This whole drought thing is such a pa-ain. […]
August 27, 2010 - A Giant Swallowtail came to nectar on the Mexican Sunflower today, in honor of Rich’s b-day.
August 26, 2010 - Hey Peter and Aaron, we think we saw Toadsworth on our walk last night! (Or is this Teeny all grown up?)
August 25, 2010 - I had to laugh when I looked out at the birdfeeder in the oak tree and saw it being shared by a squirrel and a House Finch. The finch must have had good balance and a strong stomach, because that feeder was rocking and rolling with all the squirrel’s motions! I looked out last night […]
August 24, 2010 - A few nights ago I mentioned seeing lots of swallows flying over the neighborhood in the evenings. Today I took my new camera on our walk and got some pictures. I think they are Barn Swallows. They continue to fly over the neighborhood in regular patterns at dusk. Note: Gotta love ISO 12,800 on my […]
August 23, 2010 - We’ve been seeing increased House Finch activity in the last week or so. I’ve seen juveniles flapping their wings and begging for food, and older males starting to molt (and looking extremely scruffy!) We’ve had six and eight birds at a time at the bird bath and bird feeders. It’s nice to see the activity […]
August 22, 2010 - Our first pineapple ripened in time for my birthday. It was small but very tasty. Homegrown pineapples are so much sweeter than store fruit. It’s disappointing that the fruit isn’t a little bigger this year, but I have a feeling that I’m lucky to have gotten fruit at all, given last winter’s transplant and subsequent […]
August 21, 2010 - We noticed a snail crawling across the window this morning. It was a fun opportunity to play with my new 7D. I attached the 70-200mm lens (for nice telephoto bokeh) and then added a 25mm extension tube to let me focus closer. I was amazed at the 7D’s autofocus. My old camera never used to […]
August 20, 2010 - Yes, that’s right, we had a hummingbird visit the yard around 9:30 this morning! First it came to the rosebushes near the porch, when I first noticed it. Then it flew off to the Mexican sunflower in the back of the yard and stayed there for a bit. Of course, as soon as I got […]
August 19, 2010 - I was outside at dusk tonight and saw this hummingbird moth fluttering around my torenia plant. Too bad it wasn’t a real hummingbird!
August 18, 2010 - The Mourning Doves in our yard aren’t too thrilled about the summer heat. Each afternoon they seek shelter in the shade of the rosebushes. I never would have considered my rosebushes to be major shade sources, but I guess when you are a dove that only stands a few inches high, you don’t need much! […]
August 17, 2010 - This little cardinal is so cute, hopping around our backyard every evening.
August 16, 2010 - For three subsequent trips to Lowes, this white coneflower plant called my name. After seeing it still alive after almost a month of neglect at Lowes, I figured that maybe it had a chance of surviving in my yard! So I planted it next to the purple coneflower that is blooming so well. Hopefully they […]
August 13, 2010 - My nine pineapples are still growing and they are starting to ripen. The plants aren’t as big this year as usual, probably due to the transplant last year as well as the extreme cold temperatures this winter. I can’t wait to start eating!
August 11, 2010 - My purple coneflower hasn’t died yet! (still!) Isn’t it pretty covered in blooms? (But the butterflies prefer the Mexican Sunflower that is right next to it. I haven’t seen a single butterfly on the coneflower.)
August 10, 2010 - My Mexican Sunflower bush is turning into a butterfly magnet. Every time I look out into the backyard there is a butterfly nectaring on its flowers. Monarchs, swallowtails, sulphurs, fritillaries….it’s fun to have an active yard! :) These pictures were taken after a nice summer shower (yes! rain! we finally got some!) The butterfly must […]
August 9, 2010 - Or is it Beaky-etta? This juvenile cardinal has been so sweet for the last week or so, hopping around the backyard and chirping. She seems to spend a lot of time with a male cardinal, who I assumed was her dad, until I noticed him doing the “hungry baby wing flutter.” So maybe he’s her […]
August 6, 2010 - It’s time for our favorite window-cat birdwatchers to wake up and start thinking about birds again! This morning a cardinal father and baby spent the whole morning chasing each other around the yard (including several stops on the porch roof, where they made lots of noise that intrigued the gatitos!) Mum-mum reported hearing a Blue-Gray […]
July 29, 2010 - This year we have a record-breaking nine pineapples growing in the pineapple patch! We can’t wait until they’re ready to eat. (Of course, when they are ready, I’m going to have to figure out where to plant nine new tops…)
July 28, 2010 - I haven’t managed to kill this year’s purple coneflower yet! (knock on wood…) Last year I tried to plant several, and they all turned black and died on me. This year I got a bigger one, hopefully better established, and gave it plenty of water for the first couple of weeks. It’s rewarding me with […]
July 27, 2010 - We haven’t been seeing very many turtles at the Circle B Bar Reserve lately. But Rich found a kindred turtle spirit living a few blocks away from us. We had to laugh when we first saw this yard statue of a turtle with his golf gear. It felt very appropriate for Stoneybrook West!
July 26, 2010 - Or is it ‘Deja Blu’? Rich says that this rose isn’t blue, but its shade is supposed to be somewhat unique. (Of course, if you’re thinking “hey, she posted yet another rose picture!”, then deja vu might be most appropriate…)