Jeannie's Travel Addiction

Tiger Swallowtail butterflies enjoy the nectar from my zinnias.

November 1, 2020

Just sharing some  shots of nature in action as summer is slipping away and  the days shorten and grow cooler.  

One day, from my kitchen window, I noticed my zinnia plant was moving.  Using  binoculars, I discovered a  Goldfinch  eating  the seeds from my zinnias ! I had no idea!!

Zinnias are beautiful flowers that are easy to grow from seed.   They grow abundantly  so they can  provide food for wildlife and also easy to cut and bring  cheerful  color  to my kitchen table. 

With summer, comes baby birds.  These  young sparrows still have remnants of their  yellow  gape flange,  which is the colorful and  fleshy area at the corner of the mouth.  If you can still see the flange, you know the bird is a young one.  

This cardinal is a juvenile and still has not developed her full color.  But still such  a beauty!

The Hibiscus plant is great for showy blooms in the summer.  The blooms  come in many colors.  But beware – squirrels like to eat  the buds and will rob you of the beautiful flowers.  I sprinkle pepper on the leaves and that does the trick !!!

Sometimes you might see a bald cardinal.  Though not  beautiful at the moment, it is probably no need for concern.  Molting, where the bird loses its feathers but evidentially grows new, is generally thought to be what is happening.  

An Endless Summer  Hydrangea  was added  to my garden this year.  It is known for plentiful and long lasting blooms.  Depending on the soil the blooms can be pink or blue.   I love all stages of the flower , from when the petals are just peaking out to full bloom. 

Sometimes my fluky photos turn out to be very interesting.  This is a purple finch that I just happened to catch in  take off.

Hummingbirds are  speedy and thirsty  miniature gifts  from Mother Nature. The male hummingbird can be easily identified by his bright red scarf around his neck. Hang out your feeder in clear view from April through October and they will come.

This healthy crop of sunflowers grew from what dropped  from my bird feeder.  Another surprise from feeding  our feathered friends.

Lastly,   one of the many Downey Woodpeckers that frequent my backyard feeders including  the hummingbird feeder.  

“If your knees are not  green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously  re-examine your life”  By Bill Watterson

Thanks for reading !

Hope you enjoyed!