A Morning at Loxahatchee

I had a few hours in the morning this week to get out and photograph some wildlife. I met my friend Andrew at Loxahatchee Wildlife Reserve. His goal was to see a Pileated Woodpecker. Mine was to just see something new that I could tick off my Life List, which after today's visit stands at 55 species. I'm sure I've seen more in my lifetime but I just started this Life List and I only added those birds I knew I had images of and knew where and when I took the picture. So, it's like starting over. But, Florida is a great place to begin and during the visit yesterday to Loxahatchee I saw 12 species of birds and added two new ones to my life list! Plus I took pics of butterflies and grasshoppers...can't forget about the insects (although I would dearly love to forget about the Deer Flies and Mosquitoes that were biting the heck out of me!). I don't really have a proper lens for shooting birds at a distance so some of the quality of the pics I'm sharing today aren't up to par with my usual shooting but I wanted to share the experience with you all anyways. And, I wish I had packed my macro as there were so many wild butterflies. Next time! So, sit back and enjoy some images from Loxahatchee Wildlife Reserve:

 Female Pileated Woodpecker. We actually saw two on one tree which is rare indeed!

 Limpkin, looking for snails

 Loxahatchee Wildflowers

 Lovin' Lubbers

Blade Runner

Green Heron on Alert

Peacock on Pickerel Weed

 Pearl Crescent

 Red Admiral

 Sharing Space

Snail Kite

Sunning Dragon

Sweet Tricolor

Isn't nature just grand? Hot, humid and bug filled summers still can't stop me from enjoying the beauty of mother nature!

The Wildflower Thicket

I was able to spend the entire day of Friday outside working in the garden and the yard.  The weather was gorgeous and nature was in abundance.  Of course there are always things outside that distract me from the task at hand and I soon found myself down at my wildflower thicket with camera in hand:

Part of my wildflower thicket.  It's about 40 feet long by 5 feet wide

and here are some of the things I love about it:

Bee on the Pea

Dragonfly in the Light of Day

Ladybug Hugs

Old Field Toadflax

Yellow Vigna, also known as Cowpea

Of course I did manage to make it to my garden and do some work.
Spring in full bloom:

Cuban Buttercup

Munching Monarch Caterpillar

The Marigolds I planted are now blooming in yellow and orange

One of my three Passion Vines

Pink Pentas...I also have white and red blooming.

One of my Plumeria plants 

and

another

 I planted red, yellow, pink and white Plumeria.

I love my Powder Puff bush.  Every year it gets bigger!

My Strawflower bloomed a twin!
 Two flower heads fused together on one stem.

And finally, a Bachelor Button ready to bloom with a little texture added:

Here's wishing everyone a wonderful weekend full of floral delights and maybe even some ladybug hugs!

Mulch Love,