A Cabbage White in Mattituck

Monday, September 9, 2019,

This is a Cabbage White Butterfly. Go ahead, click on the photo for a better view. This one is worth it. It’s not often that one gets the chance to appreciate just how pretty these ubiquitous butterflies actually are. You can find these guys almost everywhere but I found this one in Mattituck. I had just left a Sunflower field and was heading home when I happened across  this tiny park after missing a turn. What a lucky miss. These lovely violet flowers bordering a small pond after all that yellow were a very welcome change. Please don’t misunderstand me, the sunflowers were terrific, but this little park was like a wonderful dessert that follows a sumptuous dinner. Sometimes, you just enjoy the dessert better.  

The flowers in these photos are called Purple Loosestrife. As beautiful as they are, they are considered an invasive. I sound pretty informed, don’t I? It’s all smoke and mirrors. In fact, I had thought that these might be Lavender. I was, of course, wrong, as is usually the case when it comes to anything plant related. Luckily, I am aware of my faults. Even luckier still, I have an ace in the hole, or rather, a friend in the garden. Whenever I think I might blog about a flower or a plant of any kind, I send my friend Sue Avery an email and she sets me straight. I can guarantee you that nearly every time I mention a plant of any kind, Sue has helped me with the identification. Sue has her own blog and I invite you to check it out. It’s called The Tangled Wood and it is beautifully written. Sue truly has a way with words. Her prose is as poetic as it is informative. I really think you’ll enjoy her style. I know I do. JK.

 

More Wrenage

Wednesday, September 4, 2019,

This is – sort of – a continuation of a post from the middle of August. I had posted a photo of a House Wren with a cricket it had caught. It was a decent photograph but it may not have captured the complete attitude of this bird. And, as many of you may already know, wrens are full of attitude.

A single photo is probably not enough to exhibit the personality of this small but very memorable bird, so I offer you three. I shot these pics at Avalon Park and Preserve. There was a nest box nearby and this guy was continually going back and fourth from this rock to its nest. He was obviously feeding his brood. This little guy was busy but he still found enough time to ham it up for my camera. JK

JK

 

Painted Lady Butterfly at Avalon

Tuesday, September 3, 2019,

This was very good summer for butterflies. I seemed to see them in almost every park I visited. Avalon Park and Preserve in Stony Brook was absolutely alive with all sorts of these lovely critters. Here are a pair of photos of a Painted Lady Butterfly that I took there. Monarchs may get all the press but I think these beauties are just as wonderful as any Monarch. JK

JK