AstroGypsies

As the flowers have begun blooming the insects have been enjoying every bite of nectar, and those caterpillars are making delicious snacks for the birds. Everything in nature finds it’s balance, except humans it seems:( While watching the dragonflies has been a challenge figuring out what and who they are, the butterflies give more clues with their colours. Our sad little lilacs have stopped blooming already but a friends are in full swing-Preston lilacs, developed by the Experimental Farm in Ottawa she said, especially for colder climates and late bloom to escape any frosts-I’ll be looking those up!

Spectacular bush full of blooms and butterflies! there was also a nest full of baby robins ( third set she said!) nearby! Isn’t nature amazing!

While I have only spotted one nest of Phoebes under our front step (which I really need to go peak at quietly!) we have had a steady stream of less than baby size Hairy Woodpeckers coming to the suet feeder. Mother was feeding one HUGE baby boy, and the next day Dad was busy feeding his daughter:) Made me think of my father, I miss him:(

Sadly no sign of the hummingbird nest in the big Maple. The female is very shy, she seems to only feed at the orange coloured oriole feeder-I see her flying North so maybe she has a nest not too far away. Mr. big pants hummingbird has claimed all three feeders, including the oriole one as his…no questions, no arguments, they are his:) He is kind of funny, and very bold. He flies under the sprinkle of the watering can when I am watering. I bought a small solar water pump but so far he hasn’t been inclined to bathe there, he wants “personal” attention it seems! Ha! Glad he is eating all those nasty little biting gnats! He can have a bathe anytime on me!

and speaking of bugs…sigh…I think I lost a pint of blood venturing into the forest after a brightly colored butterfly. There was also some Echium blooming in a small selected spot covered with Northern Cloudywings and Indian Skippers…who makes up these names?

There are still new species of dragonflies appearing, I’m trying to catalogue them and remember what they are. Sometimes the males and females are very different, sometimes not, juveniles look different than adults, dragonfly ID is a full time job! Thank goodness for the insects and arachnids of Ontario page on Facebook, they come to my rescue regularly!

I was going to wander off and look for the Eastern Towhees but the bugs chased me back. I think you need full body armour with the deerflies! I can handle the mosquitos but when those vicious chunk of flesh eating deerflies start to hover and buzz I run like Groot, except I can’t dive under the safety of the truck!

We have seen in glimpses a beautiful pair of Scarlet Tanagers! The male is bright red with black and the female a yellowish colour. A few days ago I caught a glimpse of deep orange and decided to wander over and look at what I thought was the Oriole, but no! It was him. He was high up singing and posed for a split second! Beautiful! Not that I don’t appreciate our local Oriole, he is still coming for the orange marmalade. The kids are being fed Gypsy Moth Caterpillars as I have seen him grab one, beat it on a branch, obviously until it is senseless, then fly off to his brood!

All that expense for bird seed is now justified as my army of small feathered friends are devouring the caterpillars. These are an invasive species that the natural world with eventually take care of, they come in cycles, but they do so much damage, the young oaks are getting stripped of their leaves, I hope they survive:) time will tell.

I do love all the wildflowers, and after taking the pictures you notice all their little bug friends! It’s a wild wild world out there!

Gamora says she would like to stay out all the time to catch and play ping-pong with all the young chipmunks emerging from the rocks (her play method of batting small furry creatures back and forth in her paws leaving them dazed and stunned-she doesn’t know how to kill, either does Rocket-only Groot is the master dispatcher of small furry rodents) The chipmunks are abysmally stupid at this young age, often running right into the mouth of a waiting, leashed cat, only to be pried out of, or held up until they are let go…I recognize some catches by the fur missing from their tails, Rockets preferred method of proudly carrying them around, or backsides. They are like small Al Pacino “scarfaces” scuttling among the rocks when the cats go out wearing their battle scars! It’s war zone out there I tell you! The Barred Owl has taken a few as I have seen some owl down feathers about the yard as well.

I think I am caught up as we move closer to Summer! Lockdowns are slowly being lifted, 10 people can gather outside now, although after today and the twin race boats running up and down the lake I’d happily go back to 5….asshats….There are days any semblance of respect for homo sapiens I have goes down the drain, but then, I do know some lovely wonderful people and I try to remind myself of them. Mis amigos! Saludos, and does anyone know where to buy a MG42? Mike wanted to know;) hahahahahaha!