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Sunday, September 29, 2013

Sunflower Goldeneye

I love Sunflower Goldeneyes (Viquiera dentata), as I assume most people do. I may have over-loved them, however. They're everywhere, clogging the paths and making birds impossible to locate. 




















































Since we'll be off banding hummingbirds the next couple of days, I worked hard yesterday and today to get my work caught up. I was able to spare some water for the above wildlife pond. It doesn't hold all that well, but it'll be nice to have water in it for migrants in October. (Last October is when the Varied Thrush showed up.)

I did find a little time, by skipping a nap and multi-tasking, to photograph damselflies today. May have added a couple of species to the oasis list. Here's what might be an Arroyo Bluet...


And here is a Rambur's Forktail, new to the oasis.

Last, but not least, I'm really excited about Brian's Ornythion Swallowtail larva. As I think I mentioned, the oasis had 3 of that rare species here a couple of weeks ago. Brian got here from California as quick as he could arrange it. Hurricane Manuel hit right after he arrived. By then only one Ornythion was still here. Either the other two had already died or moved on. The one he got was old and dying. He nursed it back to health, so to speak, and managed to get it to lay 2 eggs. They both hatched, but the smaller larva died, as did the adult female. The other larva that hatched is thriving. Here's hoping he gets a beautiful butterfly from it.

Photo courtesy of Brian Banker


1 comment:

  1. The cowpen daisies from El Paso to Pueblo CO in recent weeks were a sight to behold. What a nice end to summer!

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