A Colorful Spring

For a long while, I have been planning on posting about biodiversity--my plan has always been to photograph each wildflower as it comes into bloom each spring...and document the diversity of native wildflowers that I have added (or been lucky enough to find already growing on the property--these are few and far between...but they are here).  Instead, my first post about biodiversity will be reflected in a few bird species that really caught my eye this spring.

Growing up, aside from the more common feeder birds, I never had bluebirds or indigo buntings...and only a rare sighting of a Baltimore oriole (perhaps not even on our property).  Living in the country (and creating habitat) has given me the opportunity to see several species here that I was never lucky enough to see before.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet...I've got close to a rainbow...all spotted this year:

Of course, the biodiversity doesn't end there...I have many others--many common, some never common to me.  With spring, the catbird returned, later, the Baltimore oriole--which has nested here for several years (perhaps as long as we've been here...but I've only noticed in the past few years).  I am pleased to have spotted a rose-breasted grossbeak again this year as well.

Hopefully, some day I will document all of the biodiversity of plants and animals that have visited...or even made a home here.  For now, I had to share my colorful spring birds.

It *isn't* Over!

Despite the fact that we've dipped below freezing and most things are done blooming, the activity of pollinators is still going strong.  For the most part only the white asters are still blooming--at least one species is commonly called "frost aster" (I think), but I'm seeing the bumblebees, fly mimics, and other pollinators that I've been missing most of summer and fall.

The high biodiversity I'm seeing again makes me smile.

Fall Day Diversity

With highs in the low 50s today, I was surprised to see such a variety of insects out on the asters and goldenrod. Although some of the bumblebees I encountered seemed sluggish, others were quite actively buzzing from flower to flower. There was a lone butterfly among the numerous of other insects.