Guess what I saw!

Meet the Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
He is a non-migrator and I've seen him on and off throughout the years at this same tree but never while I had my camera. Isn't he gorgeous? Sorry about the poor photo, he moved fast after finding what he was looking for.

We have so many nests in our yard, I feel ridiculous never noticing them before this year. Sitting in our backyard is like sitting in a large atrium, being serenaded daily.

I watched Mr. Cardinal for a while this past weekend and was able to get this fabulous shot of him. He really likes fighting or playing with the Blue Jays. I learned that Blue Jay males and females look the same. I took pictures of them too but they didn't turn out, it's harder to see them in a zoomed camera shot. Have I said that I need a better camera? Lol.

I followed this butterfly around the yard for 20 minutes before he would stay still for a photo. The poor thing, a large portion of his right wing is missing but he was huge. He is a Western Tiger Swallowtail from what my Peterson First Guide to Butterflies tells me. After we move I have full intentions of planting a naturalist garden to attract birds and butterflies.