Crops & Clips: Flashback to August, 2018

As is my habit at the beginning of each month, I combed the photo archives from three years back and searched for images which reflected favorite memes: critters of all kinds (especially birds), skies and clouds, reflections, flowers and fences, as well as scenes which speak for themselves. We spent the entire month of August, 2018 at our home in south Florida and processed 366 images. 

We welcomed the arrival of Prairie Warblers on the first day of the month. Although this colorful species is fairly common here most of the year, they suddenly disappear from our local wetlands at the beginning of May and usually reappear in early August. 

Their absence is explained by their breeding habits. They migrate laterally to preferred breeding habitats in coastal mangrove and scrub areas. The population of local Prairie Warblers is then augmented by the arrival of fall migrants from all over eastern USA which funnel into Florida on their way to wintering grounds over the southern part of the State and the Caribbean islands.

Our first of the season Prairie Warbler, August 1, 2018:

That same morning, a Pileated Woodpecker was another nice find:

On August 3, we were out early, under a waning gibbous Buck Moon:

Anticrepuscular rays converged to the west just before sunrise that morning:

An introduced exotic Brown Basilisk was shedding its skin. Only its head and feet were free of the old layer:

On August 4, a young White-tailed buck struck a nice pose in a scenic setting :

He allowed a fairly close approach...

...before gracefully bounding off:

In the marsh, a Snowy Egret was dwarfed by a Great Egret:

An Anhinga along the canal protested my intrusion:

The highlight of the day and into late autumn was a Louisiana Waterthrush. They are usually rather transient, but this one or perhaps another subsequently occupied a marshy area in our patch into late October.

A Tricolored Heron hunted in our back yard:

A male Julia longwing sipped the nectar of a Lantana blossom:

Other sightings were a Common Ground-Dove, which has since become much more difficult to find...

...a Carolina Wren...

...an Egyptian Goose in flight...

...a Halloween Pennant:

...and a Tropical Checkered-Skipper:

A migrating Solitary Sandpiper arrived on August 28:

Also on August 28, a male Bobcat walked into view:

The next day, my birthday gift was a Great Blue Heron:

A tiny Brazilian Skipper rested on a flower of Pickerelweed. Their larvae are leaf-rolling caterpillars which favor the Canna Lily, a native perennial in Florida wetlands:

An eerie red sunset turned our back yard lake into a pool of blood:

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Linking to:

Garden Affair

Fences Around the World

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Camera Critters

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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