Summer 2003,my back garden and purple martins are nesting.

Monarchs  November 2003.  There are some coastal monarchs that are non migratory.  These were most likely ones that came from caterpillars in my yard.  A stand of milkweed that bloomed well this year, was reduced to stalks by the caterpillars. It is important to avoid pesticides if you want to see wildlife in your garden.

Spring bloomers, like Crossvine are magnificent.  The Ruby Throated hummingbirds like these as well, as they migrate through to their northern nesting grounds.  I have rarely seen them after early spring. The Eastern Phoebe and the Carolina Chickadee are winter visitors.  The Phoebe loves mealworms. Since I quit using pesticides in my yard, the flowers are beautiful and I have more birds visiting, butterflies, lizards, bugs (good ones).

Hammelia is a favorite in Texas for fall migrating hummingbirds. It is not native, but does well in the heat here in Houston. In the winter it dies back but comes back from the roots.  Can you see the rubythroated hummer approaching the orange red trumpet shaped bloom in the image above that I shot last fall?

     Magnificient Mississippi Kite photographed 8/2/03 at Brazos Bend State Park through Paul Downing's 16" f 4.5 telescope and my Nikon Coolpix 995 with Televue 32mm Plossl eyepiece using Televue adapter. The bird has been perching in this tree for about a week, and I saw it soaring above the George Observatory yesterday. Click on the thumbnail for a nice sized image.