lil dude...

Usually when little dude is in the yard, and I talk to him, he will run to his burrow under my shed.  Usually he will also turn around and stick his head out for a few minutes and look at me.  Today he did something different.

Another hot humid day. Rain or storms threaten...and disappear. Seems most are going to either the north or south of us, leaving us in the middle.  Dry.

The birds were active this morning, and a little grouchy it seems as they engaged in a lot of chasing and attacking each other.  I was disappointed to see a starling show up.  I thought they'd gone for awhile.  This is the 2nd time they've been back over the past few weeks.  normally they leave by the end of June and don't come back to be a nuisance until September. 
But I cheered on the small downy woodpecker who aggressively defended his woodpecker block, chasing the starling away after it landed on the top.  Good boy Downy!!

I was  pleasantly surprised to get another visit by a hummingbird moth. This time it was the Snowberry Clearwing.

The mourning doves have been spending a lot of time in the butterfly garden.

I can't get over how many of the dark or morphed female tiger swallowtails I'm getting this year. 

Here's my meadow vole, coming over the 'wall'. A sparrow was stalking him, having chased him when he was scurrying under the butterfly bush in the front yard.

                                      Happily munching was cracked corn.

I had been wondering where the squirrels had been.  Like many of us, they don't seem to be big fans of the heat/humidity!

I don't know why but I keep finding stinkbugs on my white butterfly bush!  Haven't noticed them on any of the other ones, only the white one.

Oh and about that blue jay family? They are wearing out their welcome.  Those young'uns WHINE all the time. It's...annoying to the nth degree!  It's like a whine/cry noise. And at times it is constant.   Where are their parents!!!  :D