Random Sightings Lately

I figure I am due for a post of mostly photographs, random stuff I've encountered the last few weeks either at home or on a walk with or without Angie. Even as I start this, I'm not sure what I'm going to share. Busy days, humid days, my mind is usually consumed in the now and not the past. So this will be fun for me too!

A cool find one Sunday walk a few weeks back thanks to Eagle-eye Angie was this Snowberry Clearwing Moth. We'd never seen one before and initially thought it was a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth that we see so many others post photos of. Thanks to our bud Joanne, she took a moment and gave us the proper ID on this creature.

A week later we did luck out and see a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth at our friend Barbara's place.

While we don't really keep life lists of insects, we know both of these were lifers for us. We do have it in our heads to start lists of Butterflies, Dragonflies and other things.

The main reason we were visiting our friend Barb was to pick up a Cecropia Caterpillar, which we hope to raise to it's moth stage. He's named Heimlich, like the caterpillar from A Bug's Life. Angie did a great blog about our new house guest, see here.

I'm finally seeing an Opossum again. Not every night, but at least once a week.

Our new Squirrel friend, Ripper, is a riot. He certainly knows how to make the whole Pigeon flock angry all at once.

Bear disappeared for over 2 weeks and then suddenly returned.

This was the first time I have ever seen him in a tree. Silly that I wondered if the old boy could climb or not but until this time I always saw him on the ground, and often laying down to eat.

A couple nights later, there he was again. He likes the spot down back, just over the fence behind a couple neighbour's sheds. One of them has a habit of not securing their trash bin and he takes full advantage of that.

The new Raccoon family, mom with three young, is fun to see. Of course there's always one kid who is bolder than the rest.

My whisky Wednesdays have been a little more entertaining, if I can cover up and brave the mosquitoes plus the humidity.

I see him a lot. There was a week I was concerned about him being on his own, and not seeing his family. It seems he's quite the wanderer and eventually the rest of the family do catch up, as I discovered when staying up and outside for longer periods.

I've spotted a 2nd family recently. This one is a mother with three young as well. These kids are smaller. Young Raccoons, what's not to love?

No shortage of Skunks this year. A couple very large ones roam around, there's been two wee little ones I've seen side by side, and one of the Toppers still comes around.

One of the kids peeking out from under the lattas. All the night critters know the secret passages under the shed and deck.

We have at least 4 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds visiting our feeders nowadays. It's hard to believe that in another month or so and they will be gone again until next year.

A Cooper's Hawk has been hunting our backyard. This is nothing new but a few weeks earlier than when we normally start to see this Hawk species pass through on migration and then we end up with one or two that stick around for the winter.

Now away from the backyard, here are some lovelies spending the Summer in Toronto.

There's a family of American Kestrels near us. Such a treat to see the prettiest Falcon we have in Toronto! They are a declining species so this encounter touched my heart.

Belted Kingfishers are fun to watch as they hunt the lake and rivers.

Black-crowned Night Heron. We saw a pair this particular morning.

A mammal sighting we don't get in our backyard... White-tailed Deer. This is the first one I've seen all Summer. A peaceful early morning encounter for us.

I've not seen many spiders this Summer, which is disappointing. Other than a couple very small jumping spiders, I have found one Cross Orbweaver. It was something to watch this one work on it's web one night.

Lastly, we spotted this cool looking caterpillar. We think it's a Virginian Tiger Moth.

We let him be, to do his thing. Some researching since, here is the moth this little beast could turn into. Wow! If the ID is incorrect on this one, please let me know.

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time, here are some wise words from one of our backyard Squirrels. Cheers!