Harbor Seal, 7/19/12 Milford

A few pictures of a young Harbor Seal hauled up on the beach near Laurel Avenue in Milford on 19 July 2012.  Found by a local resident, it was protected by volunteers from Mystic Aquarium. It returned to the Sound the next morning.

Little Yellow, Walnut Beach, 7/24/12

Below a record shot of a Little Yellow at Walnut Beach, first seen yesterday (7/23/12).  Today saw at least 3 in windy 90+ heat.  Many other butterflies around, almost all nectaring on Spotted Knappweed.  My guess is that this colony will be around for at least a few weeks, based on the Little Yellows of 2010 at the same place, same time.  Luckily the disturbance of the area for the new boardwalk did not prevent the return of the Spotted Knapweed--and the Little Yellows.

Silver-bordered Frit, Common Ringlet, mystery 7/14

A few of the butterflies from the CBA walk in East Windsor today: Silver-bordered Fritillary (a dozen seen) and Common Ringlet, 8 seen.  Also a mystery Skipper from the yard and a few birds (a Lesser Yellowlegs with a Short-billed Dowitcher, and a Tricolored Heron--one with strange patterns on the flight feathers when it flies from Hammo on 7/13.

Baltimore Checkerspot 7/10/12; Sachems, mystery

A few record shots of a worn Baltimore in Macricostas Preserve near Washington Depot on 7/10/12:

Sachem ventral female

Sachem female and friend

Sachem dorsal male

Mystery larva

Sachem 7/03/12, 7/05/12

Sachem on Zinnia in yard across street, 5 July 12: This is our earliest Sachem--it first appeared on 3 July 12.   This seemed so early for a Sachem that we were hesitant to believe in our ID.

A faded Question Mark in the garden on 7/04/12

Below a few record shots of what might be a  Sachem in our yard on 7/03/12.

early Fiery Skipper, Variegated Frit July 2012

Here are a few images of two butterflies at our yard at a record early date for us.  Fiery Skipper and Variegated Fritillary:

Ventral Variegated Fritillary 7/3/12 on Butterfly Weed,  Milford yard

Dorsal Variegated Fritillary

Record shot of Fiery Skipper 7/1/12 our earliest, on Buddleia