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Saturday, May 12, 2012

Crabapples Abloom Enticing Wildlife


Crabapples in bloom delight both the gardeners and wildlife.

Chipping Sparrow in Crabapple Tree



'Three Graces' ~ Crabapples
The Other Side of 'Three Graces'

Tops of 'Three Graces' Looking Over Towards Crabapple Orchard From Middle Meadow Garden
  




Yellow-rumped Warbler in Crabapple Blooms


Nashville Warbler in Crabapple Tree


Clever Nashville Warbler Opening Crabapple Bud


Nashville Warbler Moving on to Another Crabapple Tree







Weeping Crabapple Behind Little Studio

Red Admiral Sipping Crabapple Blooms


The gardens are bursting at their edges . . . everything is moving in the fast lane and it is hard to keep up. Still it is a joy to experience the surge of growth and returning wildlife. 
I have never seen so many butterflies at this time of year. A great many tiny Red Admirals and other butterflies floating about and within the many blooms. I saw my first Monarch Butterfly on May 7th . . . the earliest I have ever sighted one in thirty years. It was a male and I could not get a good photograph. 
I am thrilled to have a native North American Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla, that I originally mistook for a Common Yellowthroat female. How could I? The Indigo Bunting and Baltimore Orioles are back and I will be sharing some wonderful portraits of them coming up. 
I have published a new installment to my 'Bestiary' over at Native Plants & Wildlife Gardens
Encounters with a winsome weasel. 
Happy Mother's Day to All of you MOMS out there.