This week brought a very cooperative ruby-throated hummingbird who stuck around for several photo opportunities.
A ruby-throated hummingbird
It would appear that the speedy bird is a juvenile male ruby-throated hummingbird. Juvenile males have not yet developed the flashy red patch under their chins. It’s also possible that being a young hummingbird it may not be exercising the caution that the adults have learned over their lifespans.
A hummingbird feeds on a zinnia
He could be taking advantage of the fact that the adult male hummingbird who usually fiercely guards the feeder flees at the appearance of a certain picture taker. Either way it is a situation that works out for both young bird and photographer.
A fritillary butterfly on Joe-Pye weed
Several butterflies appeared cooperative this week, but it could also be that they were too hungry to notice someone taking their photo.
An eastern tailed blue butterfly
Meanwhile, more flowers showed off their colors as the days grow shorter. A plant that looks like spearmint was discovered in the neighbor’s field. As the mint isn’t necessarily a native plant, it is speculated that some seeds may have been discarded there.
Spearmint
A calico aster
Sunflowers
Crazy critters
Sadie is head-over-heels about a stick she found.
(A Walk in the Woods contains photos from newsroom staffer Anna Applegate’s daily jaunts around her neck of the woods. Tagging along on the treks are dogs Buford, Sherman and Sadie, and goats Kyle and Kennedy. Applegate manages the Good Times and can be emailed at bigdogs.thederrick@gmail.com.)
