David's Images of the Day Photoblog
Afternoon walkabout with my new Nikon D850 camera and a 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens. Looking to see if there were any new wildflowers. There still are no where as many wildflowers as last year… I may have to go back to the electric fence as my security video show the deer coming by every night and trimming most of the wildflowers before they bloom. Individual images can be viewed here.
The Yucca and Prickly Pear flowers are in bloom. There are several new wildflowers (and I am not sure of the ID). I also am seeing more poppies (Red, Icelandic, and California). Individual images from the slide-shows are available here.
Lots going on. When the Blue Jay is at the bird feeder, all the other birds stay away. I noticed some White Clematis flowers across the street. Then I noticed some new wildflowers in my yard. So far this year it has been pretty sparse compared with last spring at this time. I don’t know the identity of the small white/pink/purple flowers. The plants in the Garden Tower are growing very fast. I am starting to eat some of the lettuce. The summer squash and cucumber plants are getting too big as their leaves are blocking light to the smaller plants in the tower. Some of the pepper plants are starting to bloom. The mile-a-minute vine is getting way out of control. In one section I used a propane torch to burn the vine. In another section I tried a chemical approach. I will compare the two sections in a week. While working the back section I found a couple of May Apple fruits. I have been told the Box Turtles eat, and then spread the seeds of the May Apple.
Last fall I planted a section of wildflowers on the east side of the house where I used to have a kitchen garden. Until yesterday, the only flowers were Crimson (Italian) clover. Last night I noticed some other flowers about to open. This morning there were three California Poppy flowers, and one blue Cornflower (Bachelor Button). It looks like there will be many more Cornflowers. I also saw some other varieties of poppies about to open. As I was about to go back inside, I noticed a Snowberry Clearwing (hummingbird) moth feeding on the Rhododendron flowers. Previously, I had only seen hummingbird moths later in the season and only at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. There they favored Joe Pye Weed and Thistle flowers.
California Poppy. Individual images in the Slideshow can be viewed by clicking on the above image.
Snowberry Clearwing moth feeding on Rhododendron flowers.Individual images in the Slideshow can be viewed by clicking on the above image.