from the deck

Our daughter Eva, who spent her summers out here as a child (with her twin sister, Stephanie) often laments the fact that she has never seen a hummingbird. This afternoon, as we were all sitting on the front deck when a hummingbird suddenly appeared. "Eva," I shouted, "there's a hummingbird hovering right over your head." Of course, she whirled around and the startled bird took off for parts unknown. The bird was mostly gray underneath (I didn't get a good look from above) and there were white tips on the tail which probably indicated a female. I see hummers here fairly often but have never found a nest on the property.

I didn't get to do a walk this morning but, after the hummingbird incident, a flock of birds came through led by Tufted Titmice and a few Black-capped Chickadees. In the flock was a couple of Black-and-white Warblers, an American Redstart and a White-breasted Nuthatch. Plenty of butterfly activity visible off the deck as well including some of the same species as yesterday: Tiger Swallowtail, Eastern Tailed Blue and a couple of different skippers.

Eric Salzman