Look Up

Look up.


The Monarchs


are migrating.

Queen Of The Jewelweed

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Monday afternoon, The Oven is almost literally wallpapered with birds. Black and White, Magnolia, Common Yellow-throat, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Grosbeaks, Catbirds, Thrushs, and...Hummingbirds.

In fact one female Ruby-throat, in the way of Hummingbirds, has staked out the Jewelweed and it is hers. She is taking on all comers.


Periodically she'd goes down and has a nectar meal then returns to perch in the bushes, tiny feet curled around tiny twigs. And watches. A male Ruby-throat appears and greedily zips into her Jewelweed to help himself. Not a chance. She is off the twig and after him, a flashing green heat seeking bullet, propelled by the juice of flowers. And he, in less than a blink of an eye, turns tail and is gone.


Then she's back as suddenly as she'd left, long bill mining blossoms. She takes another perch, green on green. She preens. She fluffs. Stealthily she waits for him to make another run for her flowers.


She crouches to spring into the air. He's back for yet another round.


While the Rose-breasted Grosbeak,



The turtle, and we, look on.