Pennsylvania Wildlife – The Iris and the Lily

Reasons to Smile – A walk through a garden

Birds, Certified Wildlife Habitat, Nature, Pennsylvania Wildlife

The snow that blanketed the earth is but a fleeting memory and flowers abound

Pinks – indigo – yellow

Shades of primary colors

Hellebore flower

Daffodil after the rain

Reseeded hellebores

Glory of the Snow

I am not alone as I walk, with each step I take care not to trip over another visitor to the gardens

The Eastern Garter snake I almost stepped on

Eastern Garter snake

We all rejoice in the warm southern breezes that reach our northeastern homes

Female cardinal

Purple finch

red-bellied woodpecker — Red-bellied woodpecker

Visitors to the Gardens

Certified Wildlife Habitat, Four-season garden, Gardens of Valley View, Lehigh Valley, Nature, Pennsylvania Wildlife

As much as I love the flora of a garden, the fauna is why I plant. The creatures of Gaia’s world are welcomed, no, encouraged to jump the garden-gate and enjoy the fruits of labor. Some I have planted, some they have shared. If I find there is something they like that I also cherish, I have learned to give it up and plant something we can both enjoy.

Each month someone new emerges or enters. The diversity of color, shape and purpose is mesmerizing.

JANUARY 2018 Mourning doves on Staghorn sumac — JANUARY 2018 doves on Staghorn sumac

FEBRUARY 21, 2018 Entwined garter snakes

MARCH 22, 2018 Male cardinal on Norway pine

MAY 21, 2018 Female Baltimore Oriole in Honeysuckle bush

Male Baltimore Oriole on sumac June 4, 2018

AUGUST 7, 2018 Black swallowtail butterfly

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018 Blinded Sphinx moth caterpillar

SEPTEMBER 2018 Red-bellied woodpecker on sumac

OCTOBER 23, 2018 Garter snake in lower gardens

OCTOBER 23, 2018 Wolf spider on fallen tree

NOVEMBER 1, 2018 Wild turkey in oak tree

DECEMBER 19, 2018 Bluebird and Downy woodpecker on sumac

Updated Yard Bird List 8 new sightings

Birds, Lehigh Valley, Nature, Pennsylvania Wildlife

During the year of 2018 and first month of 2019 I have had 8 new sightings all of which I have been able to photograph. In addition I have updated 3 bird sightings with better quality photos. Below are my new additions. If you’d like to see all 49 birds photographed at Valley View check out the portfolio!

JUNE 4, 2018 Male Baltimore Oriole

MAY 21, 2018 Female Baltimore Oriole in Honeysuckle bush

Male and female Baltimore Oriole May 2018

Blackburnian Warbler in sumac September 2018

Chestnut-sided warbler in sumac September 2018

Blackburnian Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler September 2018

brown thasher on sumac September 2018 — Brown Thrasher on sumac September 2018

Female American Redstart in Norway pine September 2018

Male American Redstart in sumac 2018

Female and male American Red-start September 2018

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher in sumac September 2018

SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 Female Ruby throated hummingbird in pear tree

Red-breasted nuthatch on suet feeder January 2019 — Red-breasted Nuthatch on suet feeder January 2019

Spectacular Spiders

Certified Wildlife Habitat, Lehigh Valley, Nature, Pennsylvania Wildlife, Spiders

A Halloween harbinger

Spinning a web in darkness

Silken strands

Caught in my hair

___Happy Halloween Happy Halloween Happy Halloween Happy Halloween ___

Other Side of the Stream

Eastern Gray squirrel, Nature, Pennsylvania Wildlife, Photography, Red Fox, Whitetail Deer

A ribbon of water only inches deep separates a quaffed garden from Gaia’s wild unkempt landscape. Hidden amongst logs, within towering trees and in secluded glens her children live out their lives often unseen by human eyes. But today the veil was lifted and for a moment in time I was invited in…