Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)

Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)

Identification resources:
- West Central Georgia Butterflies by Michael Beohm: Red-banded Hairstreak
- BugGuide: Butterflies, Hairstreaks

Click on the image to view a larger image

Green Anole: ‘Cept She’s Brown

She was sitting on a dead Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) flower. That’s why I didn’t see her. She must have moved and that movement caught my eye. She’s probably a Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis); she’s turned brown to adapt to her background.

She’s a female; she doesn’t have the pink dewlap that the male displays. She tried to threaten me anyway. I didn’t see the threat because of the sun’s glare on the camera viewer. I just took shots and hoped they’d come out. She gradually moved off along the stem to the cover of the bush.

She’s a beautiful creature.

Identification resource: Lizards of Georgia and South Carolina
Click on an image to view a larger image

Peace in the blueberries: Butterflies

While the bees and wasps were working the flowers and providing sound effects, the blueberries had a couple of silent visitors.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

A Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) stopped by for a very brief moment. She had hardly landed and she was off again. I barely got the one photo.

Olive Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)

On th other hand, an Olive Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus) stayed for quite a long time. I almost didn’t notice it since it is a small butterfly, about 3/4-in long, and it was moving quietly and spending quite some time at each bloom. This particular butterfly was very patient and gave the impression of being oblivious to the fact that I had the macro lens almost touching it. Interestingly, this specimen doesn't have much olive color. It also took some time to identify since I was looking for the color rather than the markings. Once I concentrated on the markings, I quickly identified it.

Additional identification resouces: Bugguide.net
Click on an image to view a larger image

Mayhem in the Blueberries: Bees and Wasps

When the blueberries were in full bloom, the bushes seemed to be humming. At first glance, it looked like a mixture of just honey bees and bumblebees were responsible for the sound. Closer inspection showed that

European honey bee (Apis mellifera)

European honey bees (Apis mellifera) and

Eastern Carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica)

Eastern Carpenter bees (Xylocopa virginica) – not bumblebees - were responsible for most of the activity.

Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens)

Common Eastern Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) were in a minority compared with the other two.

A few halictid bees (Lasioglossum sp.) – ‘left over’ from their earlier pollination activities in the pear trees where they were the only bees working the flowers – and Northern Paper Wasps (Polistes fuscatus) were working the blueberries.

Obviously they did a good job.

Click an image to view a larger image

Canada Geese: Family Outing

A few weeks ago, I witnessed Canada Geese apparently providing an organized escort for two families of geese safely across a section of the lake at Fort Yargo State Park. I was guessing that the two unattached geese were functioning as look-outs/escorts to provide safe passage for the families but wasn’t totally sure.

This morning, I stopped by the park office before going around to one of the picnic areas to photograph a wildflower. As I drove down to the bay where I had seen the families earlier (Segment 11), I saw a single goose swimming purposefully across the bay toward the bridge I was approaching. At first it appeared to be alone.

However, following a little distance behind was a family of four – two adults and two young goslings. I tried for a family photo but, as with a lot of family photos, one or other of the members failed to cooperate.

This family swam under the bridge and up into the upper section beyond the bridge. The lead unattached goose swam ahead. The family of four followed.

And then… Another family of six, two adults and four goslings escorted by a second unattached goose. These goslings were older – bigger and with adult feather coloring in the tail.

The families swam on up into the swampy area.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis): Nest

We’ve had a week or so of gray weather interspersed with rain showers and thunderstorms. Not good weather for rowing but I can’t stay inside all the time. So … I’ve been taking a daily walk down to the creek and then around the field. Yesterday, it started to rain lightly when I set off down the field but I didn’t expect it to last. The rain got heavier the further I went but it clearly was a shower. I decided to shelter under trees down at the road. I’m not sure why I looked back into the woods – probably just occupying time.

There, not more than three feet above the ground was a bird’s nest with chicks. Their eyes were closed and they were almost naked, a little bit of down and some wing feathers. I could hear quiet ‘chipping’ calls – softer than the scolding that chickadees deliver. I followed the nearest sound and finally spied a female cardinal sitting higher up in the tree. The source of the second call – presumably the male – was off to the right, possibly in a tree across the road. I got some shots with a zoom lens and flash but the lighting wasn’t good enough to get close up shots. Today, I went back with an led flashlight. The shot of mum sitting on the nest is a little dark. I tried not to disturb her but she was very shy and took off.

I did get some good shots of the chicks who, for some reason, thought it was dinnertime and responded accordingly for a few seconds.

I’ll keep an eye on the nest if I can do it without disturbing the mum too much.

Reference information: Northern Cardinal (Cardinal cardinalis)
Click on an image to view a larger image

Canada Geese: Patient Gander

The gander was standing guard on a log across from the island (Segment 16) where the goose is sitting eggs. He was alert and somewhat guarded but didn’t honk or give away the location of the nest.

Gander on Guard

I happen to know where it is because they have used this site for several years.

Goose Sitting Eggs

Click on the image to see a larger image