A quiet wet week with few butterflies

In early August, morning rain and some necessary appointments have limited and shortened my excursions into the Wounded Wetlands. Predictably, bird counts were low, averaging about 15 common species. We also escaped dual threats from tropical storms Fred and Grace. 

Most photos were taken in bad light due to cloud cover or very early observations.

This Belted Kingfisher was a surprise on August 5, the first County record for the fall migratory season. 

An adult Bald Eagle provided me with a distant early morning view:

In one frame it ventured into full sunlight:

These pre-dawn fly-over shots of a Pileated Woodpecker barely revealed its red crest:

Some mornings I returned with no images at all, so I must reach back a few weeks for some photos not shared in earlier posts:

On August 2, a Great Egret settled into the grass along the path, probably hoping to capture insects and lizards:

The Northern Cardinals were reclusive and not singing, but a juvenile male peered out at me on August 5: 

A Mourning Dove foraged on the gravel track:

A Great Egret rested in a treetop:

I obtained a better flight shot of a female Pileated Woodpecker back in July:

Loggerhead Shrike on July 19:

Our local Wounded Wetlands are bordered by residential properties. I fear that insecticides are having an adverse effect upon butterfly populations. Many residents are utilizing automated  backyard "mosquito misting systems." They dispense aerosols into the air "a few times per day" around the clock. 

Advertisers of these multiple continuous dispersion devices emphasize the dangers of insects in Florida and push them as effective in preventing insect-borne diseases. Most claim to use only pyrethrin, touted as a "natural" or "organic" product derived from chrysanthemums. While non-toxic to humans and pets, pyrethrins can be deadly to bees, butterflies, caterpillars and other insects which commonly visit residential gardens. Pyrethrins are relatively safe when applied to individual plants, but it is also used as an aerosol to "knock down" flying insects. 

Alone, pyrethrins are not very potent when dispersed in this manner. To make them more effective they may be mixed with other ingredients to increase effectiveness. For example, a "pyrethrin" aerosol may contain piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a toxic non-organic ingredient which retards the breakdown of pyrethrins. Some mosquito control systems advertise that they utilize innocent-sounding combinations of natural oils and unspecified EPA-approved control products. (Then there is the fact that many home and residential insecticides contain neonicotinoids... but that is another story. End of rant)    

Butterflies have been unusually scarce in numbers and variety. This is a Zebra longwing, the State Butterfly of Florida:

White Peacock:

A tiny Dainty Sulphur:

This Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea) is a very large tropical species with a wingspan of 2 3/4 - 3 1/2 inches (7.0--8.9 cm). It is fairly common in south Florida, but its habits of flying erratically and usually high in the trees makes it difficult to identify and photograph. This was my first image of one from a distance, visiting a Firebush (Hamelia patens), heavily cropped and over-exposed:

Often, before sunrise, I stop on a peninsula which thrusts out into the lake, listening for owls and nightjars and watching the morning light play over the clouds. It is interesting to see how the rising sun illuminates the clouds as it moves up towards the horizon. These two photos of the same clouds were taken 5 minutes apart, just before and after sunrise on August 11:

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Linking to:

Garden Affair

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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