Greensboro Birds

We still have a few butterflies, even though it’s the middle of October. (I almost typed Octoblerone—huh.) The butterfly bushes continue to bloom up a storm and attract straggling great spangled fritillaries, late-migrating monarchs, various skippers, and several varieties of yellow and orange sulphers. Haven’t seen a hummingbird since the 8th; spotted the first white-throated [...]

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I’ve never been happy with any birdfeeder I’ve ever bought. Too small, too futzy, too ugly, too cheapy, too swingy. Worst of all, though, is that inevitably, the bird I’m trying to watch is standing on the side I can’t see! No matter how I adjust the feeder, there’s always a blind spot, which is [...]

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This common wood nymph butterfly is a lifer for me in my relatively short history of identifying butterflies. This one appeared by the rose of Sharon, dabbling in the moist mulch at the shrub’s base. As soon as I saw its overall brown pattern with those cream splotches, I knew it was something new. According [...]

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Spending time on the Adirondack bench this a.m., right after Hanna’s rain ended, watching ruby-throated hummingbirds at the feeder while nursing a two-day weather headache. (Is it just me or do lots of people get queasy migraines when the barometric pressure drops?) Tito’s flopped next to me having a head-pat, being a good little man [...]

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Garden purists, avert your eyes. The rest of you, please enjoy this explosion of yellow courtesy of the tickseed we’ve allowed to go crazy in the garden. Some are nearly six feet tall! According to my fantastic new field guide, Wildflowers of North Carolina, there are 12 species of tickseed in our area, and it’s [...]

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