Vicki's Nature's photostream  

Shot yesterday in my Georgia yard - hope you enjoy the touch of color. We're back into rainy mode today and the chorus frogs are roaring out there. btw we were awakened at 4 am yesterday by a pair of Great Horned Owls calling right up close to the house. It's mating season for them.

Georgia

I really miss these guys - one of our prettiest dragonflies.

Photo competition: Atlanta Audubon's annual photo competition is coming up and Giff Beaton will again be our judge. My friend David Cree is kind enough to run the thing again. Check it out here if you're interested:

www.atlantaaudubon.org/aaswww/events/2012photocontest/pho...

This may be one of the milkweed-loving bugs that Lacey has posted. I need to check her shots.

The worst of the storms missed us and the sun will actually shine today after days of rain. Going to a balmy 64o. Have a good day where you are ...

ID: thanks to Lacey for ID - Large Milkweed Bug

Great Spangled Fritillary on lantana
Georgia yard

My little butterfly garden was all in shade except for this one small shaft of light that lit up this fritillary on his perch.

The Pocket
Pigeon Mountain
NW Georgia

This very special place is well-known for rare wildflowers here in North Georgia. We made our first drive up there last spring and it was amazing! So many wildflowers we'd never seen before plus some very special butterflies like Giant and Zebra swallowtails and lifer West Virginia White's. We also saw early Tiger and Pipevine Swallowtails and first of the year darners. If you have problems walking like I do, the boardwalk (below) makes it easy to walk along the stream and look down on all the wildflowers. Flowers start blooming in March so if you are in GA, TN or AL - or can drive up from Florida - you'll really enjoy this very special place.

"Pigeon Mountain" is named after the millions of Passenger pigeons that once roosted in this area - and are now extinct.

Click on any shots below ...

Winner, Pre-game, Wildflowers, 1-12