Even more Summer 2020 (some of which I posted on FB). Newer stuff at the top.
September 15 - I thought the hummingbirds had all gone, hadn't seen any for a few days until this little lady tonight about 7pm. That's a flash shot, it wasn't really that dark outside.
Penitent Underwing (ID thanks to folks on iNaturalist) appeared in the kitchen window late tonight. I coaxed it indoors for photo-op where it was cooperative, to a point. Wouldn't let me pry the forewing to see the colourful underwing.
September 13
September 12. Hibiscus time-lapse spans 55 minutes.
This stereogram may be difficult on a computer screen (it is for me) but I can do it on my phone and get a nice 3D effect.
Nancy saw this hawk today (presumably same as recent visits). I didn't but the trailcam caught it. I'd rotated the camera hoping for a fuller view. Folks tell me it may be a juvie Red-tailed Hawk.
The idea here is to add a volume control (audio taper potentiometer) to this bass without drilling any holes. Yes, a factory UST (under-saddle transducer) exists with volume and tone control sliders, but I don't like A - the sound or B - the ease with which said controls can be accidentally bumped. I guess I'm old school. I added the Lace magnetic pickup (without drilling any holes BTW) but want an old fashioned rotary volume knob. The value is250k.
Mission partially accomplished. Oh, one thing not shown in the pictures is a bit of the same strapping metal (about 1/4" x 3/16") inserted in a slot at the end of the dowel, engaging with a similar slot at the end of the pot shaft.
The pot is a bit stiff and it's hard to turn the 1/4" dowel rod.
This knob helps, as does a drop of lube on the pot shaft but it's still less friendly than I'd like. I think that's all down to the pot shaft itself being stiff.
More Summer 2020 (some of which I posted on FB). Newer stuff at the top.
Good luck continued, saw this one before he/she saw me. Scott Judd suggests immature Red-shouldered hawk, which I think fits with the size.
August 22. My lucky day, video started moments before this chrysalis popped. Film at 11, or maybe in a couple of days.
August 21. Eastern Wood Pewee, a flycatcher in action.
If you don't have time for videos, here's a brief animation. The way he/she tracks reminds me of laser-guided robotics or something!
August 21. New Monarch fixing proboscis.
August 19. The second of my two EBS (Eastern Black Swallowtail) cats pupated. I was in the room with my back turned when this happened. I wanted to video the event but didn't know it was impending so soon. Sure glad I had the camera on time-lapse (one shot per minute). This animation represents about 13 minutes. Blows my mind how that silk sling stays there while the skin slips by!
I said I wouldn't raise Monarchs this year, but two things made me change my mind.
Many reports of population decline
A visitor left a lot of eggs in my yard
This made me feel like it's my civic duty to try to help out Mother Nature.
I may have been mistaken in thinking that starting with eggs only would side-step the threat of T-fly. Folks online tell me that is still possible but reduced chance.
July 19
Mama #1
First Monarch spotted in our yard, possibly the first Monarch of the year for me.
This lovely Swamp Milkweed was transplanted less than a year ago from Dad's, and it's doing great with wonderful flowers. My Common Milkweed patch (started from seed) is two years old I think, but still not flowering.
After taking this picture I decided to look for eggs and found 33 (a few of which came not from this Swamp MW but the Common patch on the North side of the house).
I decided to rinse them in bleach solution to prevent OE but when I got to the last one it was already eating his way out of the egg. No rinse for that one.
July 20
Mama #2, I think I can safely say a different individual.
No doubt about it, that's a recent egg. I was all over that plant yesterday, you can see where I cut an egg out of the leaf so no way could I have missed this one!
Here she is laying on the top side of the leaf which seems to happen less often.
Laying eggs in the flowers is new to me.
I thought this was the common approach, to lay the egg under the leaf.
How many eggs can you see in this shot? I see five but collected six from this flower. Egg number 5 is barely visible, one nodule to the right of the top one. It's a combined image BTW, for depth of field.
I certainly didn't notice this one yesterday (on Swamp) but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. Sorry for lack of scale, but very very small. 6-1/2 hours later I put him at 4mm, virtually the same as the first hatchling (now roommates).
July 23, new close-up lens for Canon SX60 Powershot.
Here you can see the caterpillar in the egg.
Probably chew it's way out in the next hour or so. Note: I watched until 12:15am but of course nothing happened.
July 24
Some of today's finds.
July 27
High-tech coupling of Dick Tracy two-way wrist radio with lens from (probably) an 8mm movie projector. I was surprised at the results (next four shots/video)
The
egg on the left was deposited a couple of days ago on parsley, by the
Black Swallowtail I pictured that day. The egg on the right is a
Monarch-to-be.
These are two separate individuals, side by side with the same millimeter scale. I suspect the top one is but a day old, the bottom maybe four.
When they get fat enough to outgrow their skin, they shed it. The face plate pops off.
Some recent 2020 stuff for my non-FB friends ...in process...
July 24 night sky fun.
Lame attempt at comet selfie. Thanks for focus help Dan!
Best I could do with Saturn
July 15, Comet Neowise with meteor? From Michael J. Kirwan dam, Wayland Ohio. I like that hint of green. This was my first time on third attempt to spot it.
Same night, three shots combined and boosted in lame attempt to get more tail detail.
Sometimes on warm days we see birds sunbathing. That's what I call it anyway.
July 14, a little after 10pm. Also from MJK dam, after failing to spot the comet.
July 13, about 11pm
I wouldn't have known Jupiter was in opposition if Marianna Choleva Jones hadn't "pulled my coat" to it. Due to trees I had to go all the way to the end of the driveway for this. All four Galilean moons in view.
July 13, Ruby-throated Hummingbird
July 12, Hibiscus, slightly manipulated (combined for depth-of-field)
July 9, part of the Carolina Wrens On The Porch saga. Video of this exists but I haven't developed it yet. Stay tuned.
July 5, start of the Carolina Wrens On The Porch saga.
July 5, only one of us needs to be focused here.
July 1. No
shortage of Catbird photo-ops lately. Today's not the first fledgling
sighting but first time I saw both parents and kid simultaneously. Here
the youngster strikes an odd pose.
June 28. Ma Bluebird sitting on 2nd clutch eggs. I was amused at the way her chin feathers came down so far over the edge of the hole.
June Phoebe nest in our porch.
(Animated GIF. Real video below.)
I believe this is one of the Phoebe parents. How did the Catbird get it's name? Note: this is not the only thing they say, by a long shot.
June 16, this Killdeer nested in the middle of a friend's driveway. Above animation shows it pretending to be injured in an attempt to lead me away from the nest (below).
May 29, Red-bellied Woodpecker sunbathing.
May 21, releasing the gorgeous newly eclosed Cecropia moth. Backstory on my Cecropia blog page.
May 13, Orchard Oriole, rare sighting for me.
I believe this is a young male Orchard Oriole. Got a better pic eventually, but where is it?
