mmulqueen's Identifications

With Don Fraser and Linda Cooper; my first "real" skipper trip. Man, it was rough out there; the weather was sunny and humid with calm winds, 93 degrees but "feels like" 103. Birders know to get out of the sun after about 0930, but butterfliers seek the sun at this time and spend the next few hours in the sun. But it was fun, with several lifers -- even though I still can't identify 90% of what I'm looking at, non-birdwise.

I ended up photographing 33 skippers, 8 swallowtails, 6 dusky wings/cloudy wings, 6 wasps, 4 grasshoppers, 3 hairstreaks, 2 lynx spiders, and several other insects.

Almost everything was nectaring on Rattlesnake Master a crazy English name for a plant!, which is growing abundant along the road (until the mowers move in).

My camera -- which impressed me today -- is a Panasonic Lumix FZ80 digital bridge camera (up to 60x zoom).

Many IDs were suggested by iNat's AI.

Observed this lovely pair of Spotted Doves preening during their free time in late afternoon on a green leafy tree. This type of environment is conducive to peaceful living of the fauna around us. Captured this shot below eye level.

Let's make a vow to protect such healthy living conditions for the biodiversity around us and for ourselves.