Went out on the deck to view the Perseid meteor showers but, although the moon was battling bravely to shine on through the thick, humid atmosphere, not a star, fixed or shooting, could be seen -- only airplanes and helicopters, sheet (or heat) lightning (from some storms passing to the north) and lightning bugs (a.k.a. fireflies). And all amid the deafening roar of the Katydids.
We're in the dog days of summer right now where the most prominent natural phenomena are the Dog-Day Cicadas. A different kind of spectacular insect turned up this morning; the Common Buckeye is not common around here but one was displaying its astounding eye-spots in the morning sunlight. Other butterflies enjoying the warm weather included two swallowtails (Tiger & Spicebush), American Copper and Pearl Crescent.
Many of our more migratory birds seemed to have nested, produced young or not, and then moved on. The herons put on the best show: three Yellow-crowned Night-Herons -- one adult and two juveniles -- plus Green Heron, a couple of Great Blues and the Great and Snowy Egrets. A few swallows and martins are still flying and both Common and Royal Terns were again flying up and down the creek.
Eric Salzman
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