They Always Look So Guilty

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #148. And I'm also linking to Anni's I'd Rather B Birdin'.

Here is Mrs. Cardinal taking to the air.

I'm raven about this crow. (Or the other way.) Unfortunately the sun was on the wrong side for great pixels, but the (big) bird was so focused that it let me get closer than they usually do.

Carpenter Bee


Grass Spider:

This is Trichopoda pennipes:

The Carpenter Sisters:

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Giant Spider Season

My contribution to Michelle's Nature Notes (#395). And I'm also linking to TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #134.
Here's an Ashburn chicken:

It's GIANT SPIDER season!!!


Here's my fence. It's a bit wild and wooly in the front yard, but the new Cercis canadensis is loving it.

Also from the front yard, the real deal: Beware the guardian grass spider (and all her sisters):

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Butterflies, Birds, Disposable

My contribution to Michelle's Nature Notes (#390).

I saw a Tiger Swallowtail hanging oddly from a teasel in Ashburn late in August.

It had been caught by an ambush predator, a crab spider:

Remarkable that the spider could hold onto something that big just using its two hindmost legs.
P.S. In case Michelle would rather use something besides the hapless butterfly for her collage, here are some Cardinal Flowers.

I'm also linking to Carmi's Thematic Photographic 383 - Disposable. Unfortunately, our Cacapon Mountainside neighborhood has some bears who love garbage and houses that are rented out to weekenders. The result is often ripped open bags of trash in our 'backyard.'

Not just one bag, but two!

I'm also linking to TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #129. It took almost a week for the usual suspects to figure out there was food on the porch deck. But they're here now...


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Orange Orb Weaver

Carmi's Thematic Photographic 357 is Celebration. Here's a Christmas Cactus my sister gave me.

For TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #89, I have this morning glory fence from Columbus just over a month ago:

I'm also contributing to Michelle's Nature Notes (#340). I did not get a great macro of this Marbled Orb Weaver, but I'm putting it up anyways. I've seen them in vanilla and yellow, but this is the orangest one ever! (My sister, for some reason, did not find this spider nearly as spectacular as I did.)

And here are some of the suet feeder fans:



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Halloween Fences and Critters

My contribution to TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #84.


This is also my contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #98. (I've been too busy to do much blogging or commenting this past week. Still plenty to go, too, I'm afraid.)


This video has been on youtube for a while, but I just saw it the first time the other day:

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Halloween Spider

My contribution to Eileeinmd's Saturday's Critters #97. (Late better than never, right?)

Additionally I'm linking to Carmi's Thematic Photographic 353 - Size Small. This ladybug is not perfectly focused, but I like the how the grain of the bricks and mortar came out.

I'm also linking to Michelle's Nature Notes (#335).


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Autumn Color

Leaves are just starting to change. This is my contribution to TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #82 and to Carmi's Thematic Photographic 352 - Autumn.






I'm also contributing to Michelle's Nature Notes (#333). And NC Sue's image-in-ing.

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The Eyes Have It

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #93.



And here's a rose I tried in monochrome:

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Happy Spiderday!

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #92.



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Who's Afraid of Carolina Wolf Spider?

Carmi's Thematic Photographic 349 is Wildlife. This is also my contribution to Michelle's Nature Notes (#328).

The last time I used this title, the yolk was on me. Turns out my wolf spider was actually a fishing spider, Dolomedes tenebrosus. If this were another fishing spider, I might have tried a picture-in-hand, as this guy did. But I'm pretty sure it's a Carolina Wolf Spider (Hogna carolinensis), and they are not known for being friendly.


It has come to my attention that some readers are not as fond of spiders as meself, so how about a butterfly? I'm used to seeing the Great Spangled Fritillary on the mountain, but this one was noticeably smaller. Perhaps an Aphrodite Fritillary? Or an Atlantis? Or maybe it's a male Great Spangled.


Finally, here's Rory! Definitely not interested in any people food.

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