Hydaspe Fritillary

This weekend the Hydaspe Fritillary butterfly was one of the brightest "stars" in the show on Misty Ridge. Finally, it seems that real butterfly weather has arrived in western Oregon.

Common Nighthawk in flight

Just before sunset today this Common Nighthawk flew over Misty Ridge, giving me an unusually close and well-lighted view of the finer details of its underside plumage. "Bzzeert!"

(Click on the photo for an enlarged view.)

A Bluebird Day on Misty Ridge

Western Bluebird

This day in the Coast Range foothills of western Oregon was about as perfect as a day could be. Temperature just right, birds and butterflies at their best in song and color, and the sunshine interrupted by occasional gentle showers to water the young radishes and zucchini plants.

Western Tiger Swallowtail on Cornflower blossom

Here is a link to a short video of a Rufous Hummingbird female at a feeder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv34ajxzANM

Lorquin's Admiral

This Lorquin's Admiral has staked out a claim to his section of territory on Misty Ridge. He keeps watch from a lookout perch, and then dives down at other butterflies or other large insects that have the audacity to step on his turf uninvited.

House Wren feeding young

The House Wren pair at my place in the hills of western Yamhill Co. have suddenly become very busy. There must be a bunch of hungry babies in that box, if the volume of noise coming from it is any indication. This evening the pace to the box was about one insect carried in every two minutes, and some of those insects were quite a mouthful.