Yellow Lady's Slippers. This pic was taken about 25 years ago. Haven't seen any since.

This nest found in daughters yard recently. That has to be horse hair in it. The nest builder would have to have gathered the hair from over 200 yards away. Most likely it belongs to a Chipping Sparrow. That is a teaspoon from a place setting for comparison.

Coneflower with a polinator.

Iris

TUlsa Rose, is that a mite on the bees back? :( Darn Varroa Destructor.

And this is what I have been dealing with all morning. It cheeps so loudly in the brooder by itself so I've been babysitting instead of tending to stuff I need to get done. This is him/her climbing up my chest to tuck back in by my armpit. *Sigh* I am such a sucker.

Dianna, what is that?

Awww, littlemonkeys3, you're not a sucker, but a caring person. How could you resist all that fluff?

Quote: littlemonkeys3 TUlsa Rose, is that a mite on the bees back? :( Darn Varroa Destructor.

I don't have a clue. I just thought it was part of the bumblebee. I went back and reviewed some other pix from that same time period and they all look like that. So, I'm off to research bumblebees and Varroa Destructors. ☺

LM3, you're such a good mother! Is that the only little guy that's hatched so far? How many eggs are there?

Three recent shots of animals in our yard.

I think the black spot on the bee's back in TulsaRose's picture is part of the bee, which I'm pretty sure is a carpenter bee rather than a bumble bee.

Tulsa, if it is infact Varroa Destructor Mite, they are partly responsible for colony collapse. Nasty little critters.

Jasdip. I won't post the details here, but if you want to read about the hatch, go to my last post here http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1430354/first-time-hatching-duck-eggs?n=56 it has not been good this time around. I'm still waiting on the outcome of several, could still be a few days.

Editing to add, good to know Bob. We used to have loads of carpenter bees at our last place but I hadn't noticed that before, never looked at them that closely.

It is either Black Walnut or Espresso glad. I forget what I planted where. I had the earlier one I posted wrong.

It is just so much fun to procrastinate. The cat is a little unsure at first, then a few seconds later she doesn't care less and lays back down. Then comes the money shot where the duckling turns around to pose for the camera.

Oh my goodness, I have never seen a duck/cat duo!! That is just too sweet. What a nice kitty to babysit the duckling!! LOL Gazania, I have 3 of those nests. I got them up at the horse farm. Those sparrows don't have to go far at all to get their horsehair!!

Nicole, the morning glories are back!!!!

Quote: bob_cville I think the black spot on the bee's back in TulsaRose's picture is part of the bee, which I'm pretty sure is a carpenter bee rather than a bumble bee.

Thanks for the ID, Bob. Now I can rest my eyes. ☺ I zoomed on the picture 200% and had almost convinced myself that was a tick. lol!

LM3 - those pics are great!

Socks. That is a marmot, kind of like a beaver without the tail. They eat everything I try to grow in my yard.....

This darn duck can jump right out of the brooding box. We have company coming tomorrow, but instead of tidying up I am taking pictures of the duck. The other cat wanted some snuggle time.

Unsure

Relents

Snuggle time

Murraysmom.....COOL! Mine drowned.....and are now coming up for the 3rd time about 1/2" high. Oh well.....and this is the Great wall of China...had a bad aphid infestation....every thing is recovering from that....:0) I think the Preen killed my German iris....but I'm knee deep in miniatures. :0) weird...

My little dog chillin at the beach!

My sister and niece playing in the waves

Nicole, the Great Wall is really stylin'. Nice!!!

LM3 that is just precious!! You have sweet kitty cats!!

The little nest beside the spoon is typical of a humming bird's nest.

jemdandy, that nest is much bigger than the Rubythroat hummer's nest. Below is a pic of one that my sister watched being built in a windchime on her porch. The Rubythroat raised one brood, then started a second when something happened that caused it to abandon the nest. 2 months later sister took it down.

littlemonkey, those cat/duck pictures are treasures. Thanks for sharing them. You've got a good kitty there.

Socks, they were surprisingly easy to train.

I agree, Gazania. I looked up nests made of horsehair. The chipping sparrow is the one that uses it to that extent. They are quite common up at the horse farm, not surprising. The wind seems to blow them out of the bushes and onto the ground where I have found 3 of them.

gazania_gw

I hear you. I'll have to up a notch in bird size for that nest.