More Birds, More Flowers.

5-14-21 SHORT HILLS: It’s been beautiful, if a little cool. We ended up with 1.1 inches of rain over the weekend. I’ve continued to prune, trim and weed. I cleaned up the pool cover. [the pool has been closed since I retired in 1999 because we’re not here in the summer.] 

We took some of the house plants outside for their summer vacation. Somehow or other the right balance of sun, warmth and rain has occurred this spring and the yard looks better than it has in years. 

The hummingbird[s] has been back to visit the new feeder. I’ve seen the house wren go in and out of the wren house several times and have caught a few pix. He/she does not stand still long enough for a good shot.   

Lynn and Bill were here for dinner last night, and we go to Bette and Lonnie’s tonight. Tomorrow it’s Vermont for a few weeks.

New blooms: mulberry, bridal-wreath spirea, may apple, purple rhododendron. 

Hummingbird at the new feeder. Male ruby-throated in all likleyhood, but it could be the rarely seen here black-chinned hummer.

From little birds to a big red-tailed hawk.

And a medium sized Red-wing blackbird.

Back to small birds, here's one of the House wren partially hidden in the bushes by the wren house.

The House wren showing her back.

House wren next to her apartment in the wren condo.

Mayapple, the flower turns into a green, apple-sized fruit in a month or so.

Mulberry tree flower, the berries are prettier than the flowers.

Bridal-wreath spirea is the first to open. We have others that don't get as much sun and haven't bloomed as yet. The red spirea are later.