Split decision

After going through last night’s post comments, it seems that lots of people don’t like bugs.  There was a faction, though, that didn’t find them offensive or ugly.  I guess I fall in the later category.  That’s not to say that I love all bugs.  All bugs seem to love me, though.    Seems I’m a bug magnet!  I could certainly live without mosquitoes, chiggers, biting midges, and spiders simply give me the Willy’s.  MERIKAY, wins the prize for being the first to identify the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (romalea microptera).  In checking my blog, it appears that a couple of anonymous folks beat her to it, but hers was the first I got on my email.  One of those anonymous folks also identified the caterpillar as a white-marked tussock moth.  Thanks to all of you for your help!  I guess my Google skills need improving. 

 

We had some rain last night as a cold front moved through.  I’m pleased that I thought ahead and packed away the rocker and pulled in the awnings.  This morning dawned much cooler, and the humidity was pleasant for a change.  As I was getting ready to take the inflatable kayak for an early morning paddle down the bayou, Doug appeared and asked if I had anything important planned for today.  Seems the fire crew had been waiting for northerly winds to do a prescribed burn.  I knew what he was going to ask, and I agreed.

 

When there is a prescribed burn, just about all staff are involved.  That means no one was available to run the Visitor’s Center.  Isn’t it nice to be needed?    So, scratch the bayou float once again.  I’m going to try to sneak it in tomorrow morning instead.  Wish me luck!

It turned out to be a day of firsts for the season.  Since I didn’t have any business for most of the morning, I stepped outside and found this male summer tanager singing his heart out in one of the live oak trees.  It was hard to get a pic of him when he wasn’t singing!  I just love all the exuberant dawn chorus of birds.

The great-crested flycatchers have been here a few days, but this was my first chance to get some photos of them.  Their raucous “wheep!” call was echoing through the woods.

And I couldn’t dismiss the diminutive brown-headed nuthatch.  They’re here year round, but I always enjoy watching them work through the pine trees.  They pluck little insects from the bark of the trees.

 

It is warm enough to have the windows open tonight (and not so hot that the AC is running).  The sun has set, and it’s as dark as the ace of spades outside.   As I gazed outside the window while typing, I noticed the first lightning bugs of the season.  While I was appreciating another ‘bug’, I heard this year’s first cry of a Chuck- will’s-widow echoing through the woods.  They are an insect eating bird that flies at night, and roosts during the day.  Their mating call is very haunting.  It lets me know I’m in the south…

 

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy