Finally!

This year's baby blue jays have been particularly hard to photograph - parents have been keeping them up in the trees, well hidden from prying eyes and camera lenses.  I heard this one before I spotted it as it was making that distinctive begging noise that can only come from a jay.  Not the best pose, but he wasn't sticking around to accommodate my requests for better light, a side profile, etc.  One shriek from the parents and off he flew, in a kerfluffle of blue feathers.

I headed out early this morning for a preserve I haven't yet visited this summer and was disappointed to find that none of the paths had been mowed in the fields.  Walking through knee-high, wet grass in the peak of tick-season wasn't appealing so I went to another spot where I spent an enjoyable hour meandering.  At one point, I was in the midst of a flock of about 30 mixed tree and barn swallows who were hunting dragonflies.  They swooped, chattering softly, some so close to my head that I could hear their wings.  A very cool experience.  My favorite shot from the outing was this Calico Pennant Dragon

Back home to change out of wet shoes and then off to visit MIL briefly.  She was snoozing, but I got her up and we walked a bit, visited a while, and had some laughs.  She's still fixated on finding a man and her only requirement now is that he "has the right parts, honey."  

Meanwhile, a drama has unfolded with the wrens...again.  You'll recall that Mister has two lady wrens and that both of them laid eggs right on schedule.  Missus # 1 lost her brood to a bear when they were about 4 days old, but she was undaunted and laid another 7 eggs which hatched yesterday.  Missus # 2 had her babies fledge about a day early thanks to yours truly being a bone-head.  It looked like Mister and Missus # 2 were all set to re-use the box with the early fledge.  Until...drum roll...a second male wren showed up, singing a very alluring song.  So, now Mister is trying to protect Missus 1 and her babies while New Man sings from the other box and brings more sticks in.  Although there is a certain amount of humor to this, it can also turn out badly if New Man decided he wants Missus # 1 - males will kill tiny fledglings of a rival male in an attempt to ensure that only their DNA survives.  Well, nothing to be done but wait and see what happens.  As the Egg Turns.  

In bluebird news, the last egg hatched, probably last night.  There are four very tiny, totally helpless babies and you can see them in Extra.  They look like slightly fuzzy little grubs.  But just wait...

And finally, the annual invasion of the Japanese Beetles is upon us.  And because they aren't enough of the little blighters already, they are busy doing the Wild Thing.  Might have been today's blip if I hadn't just blipped insect porn yesterday.  

Later, good people.
xo
Debbi