Early Morning

In the damp of the early morning I prowl the yard, one eye on the tree line. I know I'll have to go in once the sun creeps up over the tulip poplars, but until then I have some freedom.

First I check the prothonotary nest box - all is well. Mama prothonotary is tucked away inside and Papa is making the rounds, singing for all he's worth. Next, the wren's nest under the porch. Her babies have hatched and it's driving my indoor cats crazy. Somewhere out in the wild fringe of the yard we also have nesting indigo buntings and blue grosbeaks. Just across the road I can see the summer tanagers. We haven't pinpointed their nest yet. Treebeard carefully checks on the bluebirds -- one egg so far in their second brood of the year. The wood thrush that wakes us each morning in just out of sight singing its song. Mama turkey has her babies out in the tall grass somewhere. All seems well with the avian crew that calls our property home.

On to the garden, quickly now the sun is getting higher. In the garden all the insects are drowsy. A pollen covered bumblebee slowly stirs after spending the night in a squash blossom. And a yellow bear (Spilosoma virginica) is suffering from bed head following its most recent molt.

 

Sun's all the way up now and I have to leave for work. Sigh. I'm already looking forward to sunset. Seems I have become crepuscular ;)