"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Friday, February 3, 2012

A very surprising visitor!

I could tell as soon as I looked outside today that it was going to be a pretty day.  The mornings have been lighter recently, but it was even more bright today because the sky was clear.

Not the greatest picture of Mt. Rainier this morning, it was pretty early here and the lighting was tricky.

Since I was heading to the pet store I went outside to check whether we needed rabbit food.  The sunbathing squirrel caught my eye.  He reminded of how our dog goes from room to room looking for a spot of sun to lie in.  I ran in to get the camera because he just looked so funny there.  I wonder if this is the one that has buried apples in all the planters?

Now that my attention for what I went outside had been diverted I looked just over to the right and noticed the pair of Chickadees on the birdhouse.  I've been noticing birds checking out the birdhouses over the last week or so, seems kind of early to me.

This is what really surprised me.  The Littlest Gardener and I were laughing at the squirrel still when this butterfly fluttered down and landed right in front of us.  After looking around trying to ID what type it is, I think it looks as though it's a Red Admiral butterfly.   I have never seen one this early, it's usually at least May before any butterflies other than Cabbage Whites are around, sometimes even later.  Maybe it's a symbol of an early and nice spring?

The Crows are never a surprise, but sometimes I wish they were.  They are always around and scaring off other birds.

There have been lots of birds in the waterfall yesterday and today, but I haven't been able to get any good pictures.  They tend to come early and the sun is still low in the sky making the fence cast a lot of shade.

I was sitting on the deck stairs just soaking up some sun (like the squirrel had been) and kept hearing a very angry hummingbird.  I eventually got up and walked to the other side of the deck and in swooped this hummingbird.  The Anna's hummingbird is a year round visitor, but it won't be long before the Rufous return.

There is just something about hummingbirds I love.  Now that they are regular visitors to our yard, I still get excited every time I see one.

I had to get a picture of the Cascade Mountains that can be seen over our side fence.  This is the view the squirrel was enjoying.  We are so lucky to have such beautiful views of the mountains around us.  If I walk to the end of our street I can see the gorgeous Olympic Mountains where the sun sets every evening.  These types of days make me love Washington and forget about the many gray and rainy days.

No wonder the butterfly was out early, it felt like spring today!  Maybe the Groundfrog knows something the groundhog doesn't?
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

34 comments:

  1. This is so cool, Catherine;-) First, you do have lovely views from your home, in several directions. How beautiful! And seeing a hummingbird or a butterfly right now would really seem strange, at least here in VA! I don't see hummers until late summer generally...butterflies, some time in the spring. It has been so unseasonably warm here, too...so who knows? I mights see a butterfly soon, too! Squirrels, on the other hand, are a dime a dozen around here!!! My helebores have been being chewed right off the stems, every day this week!! I think I've finally determined that squirrels are chewing the flowers off. THey don't eat them...they are just destructive. I went around late this afternoon and sprayed 'deer off' all around. It says it's for squirrels, too. Hopefully when I wake up tomorrow no more hellebores will have been destroyed.

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  2. Jan -I guess I'm lucky the squirrels aren't doing that here. One year they chewed off a bunch of Camellia buds. Hope they leave the rest of your Hellebores alone.

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  3. Sounds like you had a fun day in the garden Catherine! You're right about the hummingbirds...I feel the same. They are always a welcome visitor! Your mountain views are beautiful too.

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  4. Yep. I'd trust a groundFROG over a ground hog any day! That is amazing about the butterfly though. And such a great photo too. I love those mountains! And that blue sky. It was blue here too today. I might actually get some garden time tomorrow. Hooray! Hope you're still enjoying your Sarcococca. :)

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  5. I am so amazed that you have seen a butterfly already! WooHoo! It was just like spring today, and it looks like the weekend could be nice too, at least in the afternoon once the fog burns off. I've had a little winter virus the last couple of days, so I haven't had the energy to get outside. But I'm feeling better now, so tomorrow the garden better watch out -- I will be coming down on those weeds like a ton of bricks, and cutting back on stuff that needs it. Looking forward to getting some fresh air!

    The mountain was so beautiful today, and you have such gorgeous views of it, and of the Cascades. Great pictures of the hummer too. I do get lots of those.

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  6. Look at all those visitors. Especially the hummingbird. So cute!! I've only seen a humming bird once in my backyard and I squealed when I saw her.

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  7. Hi Catherine, so nice that you have so many visitors in your garden! The butterfly is indeed quite a surprise at this time of the year. Your views of the different mountains close by are truly magnificent. Thanks for sharing!
    Christina

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  8. Hi Catherine, I love that you had such a variety of photos to offer! It's amazing when someone (like your Red Admiral) shows his face so early and out-of-season! Did you notice the beautiful reflection in your pond? You do have beautiful views from your home. :-)

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  9. That is an amazing view....when my brother lived in your neck of the woods I got to see the beauty of the area...I miss it...how wonderful to have birds visiting and now a butterfly...we have a native one that overwinters that comes in April... perhaps I will see some in march if we warm up a bit more and stay warm..

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  10. Sounds like you were kept busy all morning taking all those beautiful photos. So many different creatures in one morning.

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  11. Don't you love how one thing leads to another and before you know it it was a fun time? Your photos are much needed here. We still have a long way to spring. Thank you for the boost.

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  12. How cool to have such a nice assortment of critters this time of year! You do have lovely views, too! How close are you to the ocean?

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  13. So lovely - you have the most enchanting yard!

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  14. I hope the butterfly is a sign of the early spring! We have birds, but no butterflies yet. Today sure made it feel like spring... lets hope it sticks!

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  15. That is encouraging! (the Red Admiral) It will be a very long time until we see a butterfly here, even if this warm weather means an early spring. You do have beautiful views of the mountains at your house! Do you by chance know if the mountain shown in my NWFGS post is Ranier? I took it last summer, but I don't know if it's Mount Ranier or Mount Baker. I'm thinking it's Ranier. Thanks!

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  16. Wow! What a wonderful, action-packed day you had in your garden. This seems especially so for someone like me at the southern tip of Lake Michigan. It's been warm here, too, but I've not seen any butterflies. Great photos--thanks for sharing!

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  17. Your vieuws of the surrounding landscape are so gorgeous. Don't speak out to loud that it's spring. I did a week ago and now overhere temperatures of -15C and a carpet of snow.
    gr. Marijke

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  18. Masz same wspaniałe widoki wokół.Są góry, wiewiórka, ptaki i motyl. Idzie już wiosna, a u nas -21 stopni - zima zła. Pozdrawiam. *** You have the same great views wokół.Są mountains, squirrel, birds and butterflies. Spring is coming now, and we have -21 degrees - winter evil. Yours.

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  19. Tak for de smukke billeder.
    Ha` en god dag.

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  20. You truly have magnificent views. It looks as if your gardens are springing to life. Your photos have brightened my morning. Hugs! Bonnie

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  21. What views you have! Gorgeous! I'm with you...these kind of days do make it worth all the rain and gray. And the visitors you've had must like it too. What a beautiful butterfly and hummer!

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  22. It has been a stunning week of sunshine. It is hard to capture the beauty of it in such a populated area, I sometimes wish I could capture it without all the power lines. Beautiful to see the wild ones in your yard, I enjoy the squirrels and even the crows - the crows sound the alarm when a predator bird is around.
    Hummingbirds, year round? I had no idea!!!
    Beautiful captures.

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  23. Even the animals do not know what to make of this weather do they? It is wonderful to see a butterfly this time of the year. We missed the snow here again and got the rain but I will take those warmer temps along with it. The mountains look so pretty in the distance. Even they look barer this year.

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  24. I think the butterfly is a better predictor of spring than Ol Phil! But the groundfrog is great too! You captured some very beautiful pictures and the sunrise with Mt. Rainier, now that's something to linger over! Cheers, Jenni

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  25. What a nice february day you captured! what a nice spot you have there with the garden and the creatures. I was very glad to get outside today, even if it was for storm clean up.

    Paula

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  26. I love your garden year round, Catherine. Another absolutely delightful post. Thank you for sharing the beauty in your back yard and of the glorious mountain scape beyond.

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  27. Hi Catherine, I found my snowdrops flowering yesterday, they a month early. I hoping it is a sign of an early spring:)

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  28. I have been noticing all the birds, butterflies and bees as well. I have not seen a hummingbird in a while- how exciting to have seen one- I love them and that whoosh humming sound they make- too fun. That shot of the mountains is absolutely stunning. Great shot and what a view!!!!

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  29. I'm so jealous of your views, Catherine. It's flat, flat, flat here, with no scenery to speak of, so I have to live vicariously through your blog. I'm also jealous that you have hummers year round! My husband and I had thought about moving up to Washington state a few years ago, but that never happened and we ended up buying a new house in Texas instead.

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  30. The hummingbird stole my heart away.
    The mountains and the birds,a perfect place to live!

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  31. I love the hummers too. We have had a ton of them in the summer, but none in the winter. Can;t wait for their return.
    I love your views of Mt. Rainer!

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  32. Beautiful new hellebore Catherine! I would have snatched that one up too. I'm jealous of all your springlike conditions ~ we just got a huge amount of snow. bleck. I am hoping for an early spring since winter started for us back in October but who knows? If I saw a butterfly right now I'd be worried for it. Hope your nice weather continues ~ at least someone gets to enjoy it, right?

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  33. My goodness, hummingbirds and butterflies already? It will be months before we see such things here, even with the mild winter we are enjoying. Mt. Ranier is so beautiful!

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