Great Egrets Visit Again!!

This small marsh is fed by Charles Branch and is backed by railroad tracks. It is next to a road a couple miles from Patuxent River Park. The last egret visit was about 4 years ago when there was a summer drought. We were surprised by this sighting on Sat., 9-25-10 and saw them again today, 9-28. The theory is that when water is shallow, the fishin' is easy!...

Were able to sneak closer to the edge. If there had been more rain, hip boots would have been required!....
As you can see, "Ducky" is on his favorite boxy perch.....Then, there was a whole lot of flappin' going on!!....
Last Saturday, one of the great blue herons aimed for a higher perch....

Great Egrets Visit Again! Cont'd

One egret started soaring high....

Great landing in a tree!!... "Ha! Now I'm higher than Ducky!!"...A wider view of most of the marsh. There were about 10 more egrets to the right of the tree. Today's (9-28) count was about 50!!!...

Park Pics

Stopped near the eagle nest area next to creek that runs under the road. Hardly any water, but spotted this swamp honeysuckle on the bank. Blooming in September???....

A red-spotted purple was there, too.....
The MT nest. Could only see this much of it by dodging, ducking and weaving through some woods....
Since ospreys are gone, Henry heron has a good lookout perch....
Up close!! He sat in big tree right next to the Visitor's Center....

Opelmania 9-24-10

Visiting rig of other car crazy guys from TN. Truck belongs to Frankie, Jr., trailer is grandson, Keith's....

Three generations---Frank, Jr., Frank, and grandson, Keith, who is now known as the Opel man. There were no Opel GT's manufactured that were topless, BUT the picture shows the one and only made by the TN guys....

Asters

Sedum is finally all pale pink in this more current pic....

Asters must like crummy weather! They have never grown this much before. Was waiting until the sedum turned pink.....

...but had to save a picture of bee and buckeye there on 9-16.....

Surprise! 9-7-10

Hooray!! Pepsi Monarch at Park emerged since we last saw the chrysalis.....

Here's a sign in the Park Butterfly Garden......

Butterflies and Moths 9-4-10

Today's visitors~~~Tiger Swallowtail on butterfly bush....

Buckeye on lantana....
This tiny Snowberry Clearwing Moth has been visiting for a few days....
Side view shows it's proboscis, or tongue, uncoiled to sip nectar.....

Finally landed on another plant and the clear center of the wings can be seen....

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

For comparison, here's an older picture of the hummingbird clearwing on milkweed. Is larger and colored differently (Redskin colors!!).....