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The autumn sage plant is blooming (aka salvia gregii, I believe) and the hummingbirds love it. Although the name of the plant is autumn sage, this one blooms at various times almost all year, taking a break during the coldest winter months. This particular plant has been in my yard for at least 10 years that I know of. It is a hardy little shrub. The hummingbird is a male black-chinned.

 

Montell, Uvalde County during March 2020

This little woodpecker was trying to avoid being photographed by moving to the opposite side of the tree as I tried to focus. It was not bothered enough to leave so after finding a place that had sufficient light for a decent shot, I just waited him out. These migratory woodpeckers typically visit us during fall and winter.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas in November 2020

Vireos are very small birds that usually have distinctive and loud songs/calls. This yellow-throated vireo definitely has a big voice. They usually forage for insects among the foliage high in the trees but occasionally come down to see what is going on or to check out feeders for suet. They also will come out to enjoy a birdbath or water sprinkler.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas in July 2021

These are common around our property. This male was checking out the seed variety in my feeders. I have also seen them eat citrus fruit or grape jelly that I put out for orioles and woodpeckers.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas in July 2021

This male cardinal was perched in the pomegranate tree that was decorated with icicles from freezing rain that occurred earlier that November morning.

 

Merry Christmas all my friends of Flickr!!!!

 

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas during November 2019

Lots of these woodpeckers live on our property. They live here year-round and family groups seem to stay together long after the youngsters have fledged and become able to forage independently. I love them. Similar to red-bellied woodpeckers but with a different range. They have a yellow-gold mark on the nape and near the bill (hence the name golden-fronted) and males also have a red spot on the crown.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas during December 2019.

My aunt's garden attracted lots of butterflies and on one spectacular day in October 2020, I had the pleasure of just sitting and photographing as many as possible. Her garden consisted of lots of zinnias with a spattering of lantana, sage, lavender and rosemary.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas

Testing out a 10mm extension tube on the 18-55 kit lens

Male summer tanagers are beautiful birds to see and hear. They are one of the first birds to arrive in spring and last to leave for winter at our property. I sometimes hear the song before I see one of the birds. The females are duller, more of a yellow-olive green combination.

 

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas in May 2022

Adult male summer tanager in glorious orange-y red plumage. Stopped to pose on a piece of driftwood in my yard.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas during April 2020

The dainty sulphur is the smallest sulphur in North America. Compared to other sulphurs, the forewings of this species are rather elongated. Dainty sulphurs typically fly just inches above the ground. The upper side is yellow with black forewing tips. They are also called dwarf yellow in some references.

This one was visiting some small yellow daisies during November 2020.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas

***I'm so honored to have this photo selected for Explore and for so many views, faves and comments! Thank you all!"**

 

I love armadillos, but do not like to step in the holes they leave behind as they forage for grubs. This young one was out beside the highway and I walked close enough for some shots. The road was on a slope so I was able to position myself at the bottom so the animal was at eye level. This one was very curious and posed for quite a few photos as it sniffed the air and listened to the sounds from my camera. They reportedly have very poor eyesight. Usually they run away very fast when they realize a potential threat is nearby.

 

Near Rocksprings, Texas in October 2020

Brown upper parts and white underparts, white eye-brow and loud voice for such a small bird. I call these the tattle-tale birds in my yard. They will immediately raise a ruckus when they see anything unusual and alert all the other birds. This one was near George West, Texas in December 2019

Found some wildflowers along the road during our drives through the Texas Hill Country. This is a variety of milkweed and host to many butterflies, including Monarchs. It was on a hillside along one of the roads between Camp Wood and Kerrville during May, 2020

 

Very tiny orb weaver spiders. I'm not sure of t he species but know by the design of the web that it is in the family of orb weavers. I love wet spider webs. It was a treat to see the one spider with raindrops dripping of of it as it made its way along the edge of a wet leaf.

 

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas on 6/4/2019.

You only see the reddish colored feathers on Inca doves when they open their wings wide. I rarely seem to be quick enough to capture the moment when that brilliant flash of color shows through. But my luck was true on this day as I caught the moment twice. They seem like fairly plain little birds until then.

Inca doves, Montell, Uvalde County, Texas during February 2020

I love bald cypress trees and local "old-timers" said that once upon a time there were a lot of them growing along the Nueces near our area but logging took out many and a huge flood did the rest. My family has planted a few around our property and they are doing quite well. The fern-like leaves or needles turn brilliant shades of orange-red in autumn before the trees go dormant for winter.

 

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas during November 2020

In my sister's yard in Dallas, Texas in May. Geraniums, maybe?

A curious Nuthatch photo taken at Sizergh Castle park. (813)

Very small butterfly with blue tinged upper wings and gray below with a pattern of black and white spots. These were feeding on Mexican hat flowers on a pleasant November day

 

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas during November 2020

This caterpillar is the larva of the Cecropia silkworm moth. It is one of our largest caterpillars. It feeds on many trees and shrubs including wild cherry, plum, elderberry, maple, willow, boxelder, apple, birch, lilac, walnut, pecan, elm, beech and poplar. In the late summer or early fall, the larva spins an overwintering cocoon attached to a twig on the plant where the larva fed. The large adult moth emerges May-July. The caterpillar was beautiful and there were several, quickly stripping the leaves off our young plum tree. I carefully moved the caterpillars to a less desirable and larger wild plum tree nearby and they seemed happy enough there.

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas in May 2021

  

Male hooded oriole that started visiting my yard regularly this spring. He approved of the selection of fruit and grape jelly I put out in various feeders. He posed for several shots for me, showing off his vivid colors.

 

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas during April 2020

Helios 44m lens on Sony a6000

Showing orange and black male perching on a piece of driftwood that is in my yard. The driftwood was the remains of a tree that was uprooted by one of the floods of last year on the Nueces River. It makes a nice natural "sculpture" in my yard as a place for birds to perch.

 

Montell, Uvalde County, Texas May 2020

The meadows are full of pretty purple flowers.

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