Toxostoma rufum

This little guy (could be a Mrs. but generally sexes look alike) was in the driveshed, and couldnt find his way out for the glass windows and all. He looks pretty worried but i asurred him i wouldnt eat im or nothin.

Unknown

These little bugs are entirely harmless unless, I suppose, you were an eigth of a inch in height. Look at the mean lookin grill and hairy abdomen.

Hirundo rustica

I was blocking the entrance to the barn where they lay their nests, though occasionally a brave or brainless bird would bomb past

Unknown

There was a tribe of these guys scaling a tree. They seemed very zen and patient with this epic journey. A couple who were coming up from the bottom seemed to have fallen from the top.

Unknown

These hi-tech characters had set up shop in the compost box and seemed to like sunning themselves on the sizzling hot black plastic lid.

Danaus plexippus

the Monarchs always land with their wings closed behind them, although every once in a while they would fan their wings open to catch the warm rays of the sun.

This stunning rainbow came out after a sun shower and just kept amazing us more and more as it developped. The picture only captures a glimpse as to the subtle range of colors through the spectrum.

MARSH IRIS

possibly Iris versicolor

This ravenous beauty was the only blooming flower of it's kind in the marsh. It is quite probably a Blue Flag Iris but my mom swears she has never seen one of this light complexion. Could it be a new species or the effect of the flash of the camera.

BEE

possibly Apis mellifera the honey bee

This thing was so heavily laden with pollen its no wonder he was buzzing around irritably. They never seemed to stop their relentless work schedule from moving from one flower to the next.

BARN SWALLOWS (babies)

Hirundo rustica

Whenever they heard anything remotely like dinner, these little nestlings sprung into action, clammering like rockstars for their share.

EASTERN GARTER SNAKE

Thamnophis sirtalis

This friendly creeper was nosing around a hill. When I went to catch her I saw 2 more slither off. What were they all doing there? Most of the garter snakes were fat from the variety of late July prey hatched from the spring.

fcps.edu

AMERICAN TOAD (baby)

Bufo americanus

The garter snake was probably looking for this American Toad, although for some, the nasty tasting paratid glands on its neck would make for a short snack.

This luscious sunset was the view out the livingroom window. Outside, the warm wind and roiling red gave the night an ominous mood.

LITTLE BROWN BAT

From less than a foot away, these critters may seem formidable, but dont let the photo scare you. Of the large sociable (towards other bats) colony of brown bats which deployed from the walls of the house every dusk, they were rarely bigger than a gerbil, and never once reacted agressively to me. They sure dont like the flash though (for obvious reasons)

SPHINX MOTH

Inspired by an autobahn society insect guide I went out at night looking for moths. I thought I was doing pretty good until this big customer came down and landed on a vibrantly colored woven cushion. It was about as big as my wrist though not very tactical in its flying manoevers. (it flew right into the bat's roost, and I heard a juicy crunch)

NORTHERN SPRING PEEPER

This bug sized Spring Peeper was obsessed with my flashlight. They are irresistably attracted to artificial light, mistaking it for shimmering water - No wonder they don't live in the city!

GREAT BLUE HERON

This majestic pterydactil was sizing me up from the top of a broken tree. It seemed wary of me, but not afraid, and I would assume it pretty much owned the swamp.

MUSKRAT

This marshlander casually swam right by my kayak and did not seem in the least perterbed by my presence. Gracefully propelled by the swishing of its flattened tail, it was amazing to see the way it could effortlessly flow / leap over semi-submerged logs in its path. I was reminded of the famous quote from Bruce Lee: "Be water, my friend..."

EASTERN PAINTED TURTLE

This handsome devil hissed, scratched and snapped while i was getting a pic of him, and could scuttle quite quick across dry land, and swim even faster. Every time he would make a break for the water I would pick him up and move him back to an open spot on the grass. That evening I had a nightmare I was wandering through a ghostly white mansion, and no matter how many rooms I passed through I could never find my way out ...

AMERICAN TOAD

Every farmhouse has a resident toad, and this big customer had seen a few summers. Although it was covered in thick skin and warty growths, the rust, red and black coloring made for quite a beautiful overcoat.

GYPSY MOTH CATERPILLAR

This gothic crawler wore a skull-like mask, markings meant most likely, to scare away would be predators. It is considered a pest, spread from southern states in the U.S.

ROBIN

During lunch one of these baby robin chicks landed hard on the ground by the picnic table. I picked it up in a leaf and returned it to its nest in a the overhanging tree. 2 days later during a storm the entire nest fell, I picked it up with the two remaining chicks, and wired the nest onto the tree branch. This is the father feeding them three days later. During that short period they went from eyeless pink freaks into handsome bird tweeners.

PRAYING MANTIS

I have a particular love of these exquisite insects, and the whole time I was piccing, I was searching for one. While digging out a garden bed, I stumbled across this little fellow, and then saw three more in various places within the next hour - go figure.

CHICORY FLOWER

These small flowers grow wild throughout the country side and go generally unoticed, but a closeup shows the sublime architecture inherent in even the most common country residents.

BARN SWALLOWS (babies)

Hirundo rustica

Meanwhile in the barn, the swallow chicks were undergoing a rapid transformation.

COWS

Latin name

Of course no countryside is complete without cows, although some adventurous farmers in the area raised llamas, and even emus!

HAY BALES

Even at the heigth of summer, preparation for the long winter months has begun, and the golden hay bales sit sunning in the fields, ready to feed the livestock for the cold months ahead.

GOODBYE

It was sad to leave all my creeping, crawling, flying and swimming friends in the country, but all good things must come to an end. The seasons change, and the cycle continues ...