First one of these we've had at the feeder. Painted Bunting
He was in direct sunlight, so it kind of washed out the photo.

Now that is a pretty bird, not joking.

From a couple weeks ago.

Sunset over NYC from 20,000 feet.

For less than two weeks each year the black locust blossoms come out, filling the air with the most heavenly scent that exists. It is a long fifty week wait for these but that makes them even more special.

In my neck of the woods, you don't see nearly as much Black Locust as years ago. Farmers cut and used
them for just about everything to do with their farm. Barn lumber, sheds, and fence posts being the bit 3.
It resists rot and warping from the sun. I have a barn on my property that's 65 years old and still good.
Never been painted or treated in any way. My land is bordered with a fence that's 70 years old and the posts
are still standing. The barbed wire has rusted away but those locust posts will be there long after I'm dead
and my ashes spread on my property. You're right about the smell, but you forgot the thorns. It don't pay
to be walking down a steep hillside in the woods and grab a young one for support. Don't ask me how I know.
Dano

Drove up into part of the Jefferson National Forest this morning, just before the rain.



Some interesting graffiti on one of the 165KV structures:

We used to get flocks of the Buntings here in my yard in SW Florida; now nothing they have vanished over the years.
very rare we see any of the migrating song birds now it heart breaking.

quote:

Originally posted by MRBTX:
First one of these we've had at the feeder. Painted Bunting
He was in direct sunlight, so it kind of washed out the photo.

Irises growing wild by the side of the road where I take my morning walk. The elevation there is about 10,500 feet so they should be looking better in a couple of days.



There are other isolated patches along a 2-mile stretch, and it would be interesting to know how they got started at the various places.

Those look like what we call Dutch Irises and are
from a tuber so they didn't get there thru bird
droppings. Supposed to be poisonous to animals but chipmunks eat them around here all the time.
Very hardy species and all you have to do is throw the tubers out and they'll grow. Of course
around here we have what we call "Rain" Looks like someone tried to add some color to the land
there.
Dano

Brown is a color.

We’ve actually been getting some of that water stuff from the sky here recently. Except in limited areas, though, it tends to go away pretty quickly. And thanks for describing how irises propagate. Now that you describe it, it’s possible that it was a deliberate effort on someone’s part. As I recall, the columbine flower was deliberately spread that way long ago by a woman who believed we needed more of them here. And they are nice flowers.

And two days later.