We've been having a lot wind lately, and no, I'm not talking about the commentary regarding various sitting and ex-presidents visiting town for the Civil Rights Summit. I'm referring to actual wind, incessant gusts of it, ranging in the 15 to 25 mph velocity and setting up what I figured was going to be a lousy, no-good, won't be seeing any winged visitors situation.
You'd think I'd get tired of being wrong....
I was standing at the window watching the primroses toss about. Leaning first this way then that, they resembled nothing so much as a rough sea with alternating pink and green waves. Then a swallowtail butterfly of some sort caught my eye. You know what happened next.
This time I'm fairly certain my visitor is a
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) even though the telltale metallic blue on the back of the wings towards the tail is not particularly prominent. None of the butterflies I spot seem to match up exactly, so this is simply my best guess. I got a series of shots with the wings open and closed. Whatever type of Swallowtail this one is, I'm sure it isn't confused at all.
When I glanced out later to see if the butterfly was still working the primrose patch, I noted a more readily identifiable Lesser goldfinch, or Carduelis psaltria, at our feeder. This little guy stocked up on nyjer seed and then headed over to one of our birdbaths where it was joined by a female.
I keep reading these birds travel in large groups but honestly I usually only see this little guy and his lady around our spaces. I'm wondering if they have a nest nearby?
