Explored !

PHOTO Courtesy of Paul L (my brother who is not my brother) Paul , my very long time English friend (he is like a brother who isnt a brother) who now lives in Canada ..... he and his Canadian wife live in Ft. McMurray I had spoken to him so I knew he got out .When they were evacuating them North he refused and ran the fire road with a small convoy to get out south ,which was as well because then those they had sent North were trapped and had to come out via helicopter. He & Nessa went back as some of the first people going back on the 3rd June . Their place is ok.. smoked to heck.. but nothlng they can't make right. I saw on the BBC an amazing pic of the Canadian Fire Crews with Engines on the Bridges and flags hoisted to Welcome folk HOME. Paul and Nessa took THIS photo out of the car window as they returned the other day ..... and they were pretty emotional too. So many Hero's.... all of them unsung. Bless you Ft. McMurray.. you shall rise from the ashes... HUGSSSSSSSSSSS for you Paul and Nessa EXPLORED !

He can skipping across the grass and climbed the tree to watch me filling one the bird feeders. He soon came and fed ! EXPLORED !

Papa Bluebird came for his afternoon bath EXPLORED !

Tiny little butterflies with the males being a glorious blue when they open their wings. They are hyperactive and rarely sit still long at the start of the season. The False Sunflowers are just beginning to bloom. EXPLORED !

Meet "Nicky" and her babies. This female has been coming early in daylight to feed for the past 4 weeks. I have been filming her from my bedroom window as she comes to the feeding station I have for the wildlife . I was sure she was coming in the day time because she was a Mum nursing kits and this meant daylight was safer for her to leave the den. Late this afternoon she came for the first time with her babies.. 4 of them !!!! She is a "tough love" Mum... be she has to be if she wants to raise 4 lively kits to be young adults. She isnt selfish with the food .... she has instinct.... Babies arent eating that right now think they are still on milk .They scrabble in the grass for things.. but I think its only just learning stuff. I am glad they dont eat the put out food yet.. they need to learn "real food". Today they learned to climb and play Hide & Seek and how to knock the water over... soon they will be climbing the trees ! Doubtless there will be many more visits... and I have twins and triplets from last year that come some evenings. The Video isnt great quality but its the best I can do shooting through glass. EXPLORED ! (Video section)

Finally the butterflies are beginning to show. Today a Common Buckeye and a Pipevine Swallowtail and a Gulf Fritillary and an American Lady EXPLORED !

Little Dancer EXPLORED !

It finally sat still for a moment ! EXPLORED !

This is a sassy juvenile I have been glimpsing for a week. Usually they are lightening fast and getting a picture isn't going to happen. This one... well we surprised each other and this was the result. Not a great pic.. just a rare one ! EXPLORED !

There are so few butterflies here this year,,, desperately so. We have extreme heat and heat indices up to 129F(53.8C) and everything is dying. My Zinnias normally last all summer and so do the wonderful wild False Sunflowers but this year.. all are dying... a plague of black beetles are devouring much leaf growth and its also a Bagworm year on the tree leaves. The trees are in heat shock too and shedding leaves already. I am ready for Winter... you can't be outside anyway in this heat. EXPLORED !

Well the butterflies are absent this year... the heat has been appalling.. but the Hummingbirds have been here since April and 2 pairs have raised at least 2 broods. I have a cloud of at least 12-15 sometimes ! EXPLORED (Video section) !

This year has been a disaster here for butterflies (and bees and plants and flowers ) ... I so SOOOO glad to see this Lady this afternoon ! EXPLORED !

The little Skippers have been as rare as the butterflies this year. EXPLORED !

After a bad year.... ranging from Flicka having leg surgery to my husband having heart surgery(out of the blue!) to so very few butterflies..... Jay is well... Flicka is well... and this afternoon...... A Queen (a first for me to see !) and 3 perfect Monarchs arrived as they pass through on migration ! EXPLORED !

Still getting 1-3 through a day. This will end soon. thought We have tornado weather back and the Monarchs need to be on their way. EXPLORED !

Ragged but still huge and still beautiful and a joy to see . Only the second time in 5 years I have seen this Giant Swallowtail here. EXPLORED !

I had not seen anymore Monarchs come through since the 5 on 12th October. We then had a 40° temperature drop with a cold front That then brought high gusting winds and 87°F temps again. Today.. all became calm and a beautiful 84°F and a glorious day. This evening... in a golden cascade of light.... this male Monarch came to feed of the Lantana and False Sunflowers. The Migration is well underway and I wont see many more gems like this. EXPLORED !

I have had other similar Sphinx moths here but this was a first for this species. We were smashed into 7 days ago (25th Oct) whilst stationary, by 2 colliding cars at a T Juction and our car was written off. We are ok.. bumped and bruised and sore but very very lucky. We are still dealing with the Insurance but as the innocent party we are getting things done. We have had to get another car.. and we hope to have the claim settled by the end of the week. I am a bit fragile after this past few months but all will be well. I am a bit slow commenting... but I am loving seeing your photos. This hasnt been an easy year... but we are alive to tell the tale. EXPLORED !