BUTTERFLY SEASON IS OVER FOR 2010 !

My butterfly season is over for 2010 with temps down in the lower twenties and a heavy rain is forecasted for tomorrow night. The season was a long one with a good representation until mid November this year. I think I will fill in the blanks during the usually dull and dreary months, minus any butterflies, with past pictures.  My best to you over the winter, Denis

One of my favorites, Great Spangled Fritillary

I CHEATED AGAIN TODAY, WITH MARYLAND BUTTERFLIES

Hi, Today I went to do the Turkey Point Hawkwatch below Northeast (town’s actual name), MD. The winds were whipping across the Chesapeake Bay very strong at a measured 20MPH+ in gusts with an almost steady 5-7 MPH wind. The morning started out quite sunny but mid-morning a high thin veil of clouds overcame the sky. Rain is forecasted for tomorrow. To my surprise on the peninsulas’ end field I found one Buckeye at 08:55 as I walked. Later on the stone path out, I saw one Variegated Fritillary posing in the sun. A few steps further several Red Dragonflies were present sunning. Very cold weather is due us in a day or two so this may just be the end. The in between period is my study time for sure. Here are a few pictures. Have a great Thanksgiving!

TODAY IS ANOTHER MILD DAY WITH ONLY BUCKEYES !

Today I went to our local hawkwatch at Turkey Point, just south of a town called North East, MD. Turkey Point sits on the end of a ten mile long peninsula jutting into the upper end of the Chesapeake Bay. This area is normally milder than my home, which is twenty miles north, because of the water surrounding the Peninsula. Today the only butterflies seen were 5 Buckeyes. Migrant raptors were scarce at best, even our resident Bald Eagles were notably absent. Have a great day, Denis
 PS this is one of my favorites, a Bronze Copper on Seaside Goldenrod.

DAY AFTER THE STORM / RAIN.

Yesterday, 11/16/10, was a foggy, misting sort of day early on turning to a steady drizzle in afternoon. The evening was on and off rain from the storm coming out of the south with relatively warm temps. However near Two-thirty AM today I was awakened by extremely strong winds and a thunder and lightening storm with torrential rains. Dawn arrived with a fairly clear sky and then the winds picked up substantially. I took a few shots of the sunrise and had work to do early so that ended my fun so to speak. Later near noon it became quite nice in protected areas only. The temps went up to sixty with the strong winds making it feel much cooler. Not a butterfly was to be seen today as I walked twice in the mid-day when it was the warmest. Probably the past below freezing nights and then the cold rains subdued the remaining butterflies. Here is a shot of my last seen butterfly in mid-November, a Red-banded hairstreak. Have a great day! Denis

New Blog so I am just starting out and filling in as it is the end of season.

Saturday, November 13, 2010  Butterflies seen today are; Cabbage white, Orange sulphur, Checkered skipper and Buckeye. T'aint bad for a mid November day. I suspect that today are the last butterflies to be seen in 2010.  With our killing frosts we only have scant few blooms of Red and Blue salvia next to the house and they do not look well enough to have much nectar. Our low temps have all been  below freezing by a few degrees and that signals the end of the season, sadly. Here is the last Checkered skipper on Nov. 13, 2010 best to you all, Digidenis.

November butterflies, quite late.

Thursday, November 11, 2010 I had; Cabbage white, Orange sulphurs, Buckeyes, Checkered Skippers, and one Red-banded hairstreak. We should be able to keep the few remaining butterflies going as it is to be not too cold for the next couple of days, into the upper fifties and lower sixties maybe. And here is a Buckeye.