On June 1, 2013 as we walked into the wetlands adjacent to our south Florida home, the cirrus clouds warned that a change in weather was imminent:
We visited the Yellow-crowned Night-Herons nesting in the rookery:
Their scraggly chicks looked like cartoon characters:
We checked the nest of a Common Nighthawk and, from a distance, saw that the nestling was almost ready to fly:
The adult nighthawk flew anxiously overhead, so we moved on down the path:
Green Heron youngsters had just fledged, and they scrambled about in the branches:
On June 3 the storms moved in and we hurried home ahead of the rain:
An adult Green Heron foraged in a lakeside puddle:
The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron chicks grew quite rapidly over the next week:
A Wood Stork rested on one foot in a small park along our lake:
The stork is in the foreground, and our home is reflected in the lake (on June 2-- four memes of critter, fence, sky and reflection all in one!):
Loggerhead Shrikes were courting:
Unsettled weather persisted into the middle of the month:
It was a wonderful month for butterflies--
Julia heliconians, a male and a female:
White Peacock:
Gulf Fritillary:
Zebra heliconian, State Butterfly of Florida:
Mid-month we departed for Arizona, where we rented an RV and toured the State for 10 days with our daughter's family:
At Tombstone, Arizona with our daughter and granddaughters:
Bobcat at the Desert Museum in Tucson:
Phainopepla in Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Arizona:
Black-throated Gray Warbler and Pygmy Nuthatch at Grand Canyon, Arizona:
Elk browsing near our campground at Grand Canyon:
Thanks so much for visiting! I will be on the road for the next couple of weeks and often away from WiFi and even out of cellular range. Mary Lou and I are celebrating our 56th Wedding Anniversary! Tending to my blog from a cellphone does not work out very well, so I have put my posts on "autopilot" in the interim, but promise to visit you as soon as possible when I get back to my PC.
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Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa).
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
Linking to Today's Flowers Friday by Denise
Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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I like your cirrus clouds :-) beautiful. And the golden butterflies and especially the last one. Also a beautiful butterfly :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://momentsfrozentime.blogspot.nl/
Hello ken, wonderful collection of photos. Your grandchildren are adorable. The night heron chicks are cute, love the butterflies and the pretty skies. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day and weekend ahead!
ReplyDeletelooks like an awesome family trip. :) loved the bird shots. i feel like one of those heron chicks look most days. :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous and vibrant series of photos, Kenneth! And you have a beautiful family. Thank you so much for sharing. :)
ReplyDeletewow those clouds are amazing! wonderful snaps and sweet family photo!
ReplyDeleteWow there was a lot to take in here and all of it was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThose butterflies were stunning, the storm clouds ominous and cool looking. Enjoyed the shot with all 4 memes into one. Nice pretty white fence. - The Heron babies are comical looking. What a fun time with your family. The kids seems to be really enjoying this outing.
OH MY! Beautiful shots. The first one really took my breath away.
ReplyDeleteI love all the butterfly images and as for those Heron chicks, they are hilarious but great shots. Geat ideo to hire a Rv and go with your family on holiday. i am sure that was great fun.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots all, KCS.
ReplyDeleteLove your butterflies. I haven't got one butterfly pic this year yet. Finally got a moth today.
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Splendid series!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, eapecially the birds (as always!).
ReplyDeletenice shot at Grand Canyon
ReplyDeletetremendous captures!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics of the sky, your birds are beautiful, and butterflies and it is all great
ReplyDeleteLove that cirrus cloud-filled sky! That lone figure at the bottom added to the composition [wish she weren't truncated though]. You have a nice family! Congrats on 56!!! Have a great holiday...
ReplyDeleteFantastic.
ReplyDeleteThe 2nd photo of the Night Heron chicks standing up look like they're about to launch into a stand-up comedy routine. Many wonderful photos. Such dramatic dark skies in the 'storm coming' photo & those Butterflies have wonderful colours & markings too
ReplyDeleteHello Ken, I just wanted to stop back and say thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteLovely flashbacks...and those baby herons really do look like cartoon characters!
ReplyDeleteI love that first shot. Superb!
ReplyDeleteYou have some amazing photos in this post. I don't often get to see such beautiful butterflies or birds, much less get the opportunity to take photos of them.
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful birds and butterflies.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Tucson for nearly a decade, so that was like 'going home again'.
ReplyDeleteLoved all your post today Ken. Thanks so much for linking in at I'd Rather B Birdin'. The post was wonderful. Your photos are terrific for all of us birders this weekend!! From the courting shrikes to the wonderful 'chicks'.
Nice memories and shots! I also am impressed of your cloud photos.
ReplyDeleteNesting herons!! First time I have ever seen photos of them :) and that cloud formation in the 1st picture is amazing...
ReplyDeleteI like the framing of the chicks with the leaves. Their "wild hair" gives them that Einstein look.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely stunning. I'm so glad I found you
ReplyDeleteVisit Keith's Ramblings
Gorgeous skies, glorious birds, butterflies, and the people are pretty swell too. All a beautiful share~!
ReplyDeleteExtremely cool shots!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/06/circa-1953-and-now.html
What a wonderful assortment of photos. That first sky shot is impressive and expressive - having much to say! Those young birds do look like cartoon characters. Lovely shots, all.
ReplyDeleteFantastic mix of photos. Incredible sky shots.
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of these photos, fantastic collection. Those Yellow-crowned Night Heron chicks stole my heart but all your shots are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing with Today's Flowers and have a great day :)
ReplyDeleteLovely butterflies and the heron chicks are precious!
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