Butterfly on Summer Phlox
Rosa Sinesis Tropical Hibiscus "Mrs. Jimmy Spangler"
Prickly Pear Cactus Flower
Masked Beady-eyed bandits in our mulberry tree
Rosa Sinesis Tropical Hibiscus "Cotton Candy" double
"Five" Rubythroats - kitchen window
Full Moon Rising on a Summer's Night
Adult female Rubythroated Hummingbird - Photos: John Crim
Bird food (grape jelly & sugar water) Burglars!
What did you say????? You mean we're not in trouble?
Heading from the tree to the "treasures!"
Hummmm, there must be a way to get on top of this thing...
Licking every last sticky smidge of grape jelly...
Checking out the Million Bells hanging basket...smells sweet.
Contemplating the scheme for "Thievery"
Yes, I moved the shelf and hung the hummer feeders higher!
Both of these Masked Bandits have a full belly!
The following hummingbird photos were taken by a Nikon D1X in August '08 on our veranda.
We had about 2 dozen resident hummers here on Fifth Street, in '07 and '08.
John sat for hours upon hours snapping these awesome shots.
Notice the spots beginning to show on his gorget.
When he returns next spring, his throat area will be black.
Then when the light reflects just right, bright red appears!
The photo shows the rounded white-tipped tail feathers of the female.
Rubythroated females do not have any color in the throat area.
Throat spots appearing...when the immature birds first appear at the feeders,
it is nearly impossible to distinguish a male from a female.
Changes occur by the time they return in the spring.
It is visible in this photo that the white-tipped tail feathers have faded and are also more pointed than the rounded feathers of the adult female.
This young pair of raccoons visited our side porch one evening in June '09.
They were after the yummy grape jelly we'd left out for the birds.
Then they decided that the hummingbird food
was also a sort of "liquid" candy for "them"!!
My estimate is that they are about 9-10 weeks old.
My kids call me the "Raccoon Whisperer".
I've raised several, including a mother who brought us
FIVE babies when they reached 6 weeks old!
I guess you could say I know their language.
They seem to "understand" my cooney chatter.
