Fringed Gentian

     We went to one of the older corridor sites yesterday to monitor the Fringed Gentian, one of my favorite wildflowers.  The site is named the Jordan Tract, but we re-named it Gentian Meadow about eight years ago after counting well over a hundred plants.

This year we found only ten.  

Buckthorn has long since invaded this wet meadow and the park system began fighting back this past spring with close mowing.  We wondered if this might have been the reason for the drop in numbers, but in researching this post I discovered a reliable site stating that populations of this biennial are erratic.

Apparently, I am not the only one who looks(ed) forward to this beautiful flower each fall.

While the cat is away....

...the hummingbirds will eat grape jelly?

The Orioles and Catbirds have taken off for warmer climes, but I figured it couldn't hurt to put out a little grape jelly each day for a while - just to make sure there aren't any stragglers.  

The hummers often fly around the jelly feeder - nothing new.  I had always assumed they were attracted to the insects.  

Earlier this week, however, I saw one perch and eat the jelly.  This happened several days in a row.  I don't know if it was the same bird, of course, but it was always a female.  So far, I've only seen one mention of this on the Internet.  That comment stated the concentration of sugar in grape jelly (23%) is quite close to that of the nectar we all make for our hummingbird feeders (25%).

Who knew?

Still Here

The white rabbit has been lying low all summer.  I've only seen her once every week or two.  Here she is near the grape jelly feeder - at dusk last night.

I was worried for her.  The hawks are migrating.  They love to perch on the large dead Ash tree, near the wildflower beds where she seems to spend most of her time.  This was the first I'd seen her so close to the house in quite a while.  There was a Red-tailed Hawk on the top of a telephone pole at the street, not 40 yards away.  

My flash caused her to duck for cover under the Wisteria.  

Wiley old rabbit.

A Glass Half Full

     We live six houses away from a turnpike.  The noise is a disadvantage, but the lights and concrete of the overpass I cross every morning with Hudson attract lots of cool insects.

     This is a White-lined Sphinx moth.  He was about 2 inches from tip to tail.  

Luckily, Mr. Eat Now, Ask Questions Later did not see him.