Jordan Lake Dam, Haw River:  In the prior post, we looked at a whitestar morning-glory (native to NC) during the night, when it was resting and closed.  In the growing daylight, the whitestar blossom begins to open.  The blossom is almost irresistible to the eastern bumblebee.  The bumblebee is just a little bit smaller than the wee whitestar blossom. There is an advantage to the whitestar in this tight fit.  As the bumblebee wedges itself down into the flower, to reach the nectar, the insect picks up the pollen of the whitestar.  The bumblebee backs out, carrying her load of pollen and heads for the next blossom.  Pollination for the flower and nutrition for the bumblebee!  The eastern bumblebee narrates her story and I think she does a fine job…

I was trying to capture the light, just so, on a Texas toadflax blossom.  The golden light was fading fast.  Then a shadow appeared and I forgot about the wildflower for a couple of moments.  The young eagle was just starting his second year of life and he was beautiful as the full brightness of a Carolina blue sky filled his sight and my morning.

In between watching eclipses and aerobatic bald eagles, I have kept my eye on other interesting critters …
This is father osprey plowing into the lake for a fish.


A white-tailed buck very calmly glanced my way and then went back to browsing.


Something must have tickled this great blue heron’s toes – he sure made a spectacular leap and didn’t take flight!

It was great fun watching the pileated woodpecker stop his hammering just long enough for me to get his portrait.


The three brassy little skipper butterflies were sharing a button bush blossom.