Hummingbirds and wasps and yes, more butterflies!

   I have been seeing a ruby-throated hummingbird pair coming around my feeder in the last week, after a yearlong absence. Apparently my house is on the migration route, but isn't where they hang out all season. Bummer. Anyway, I finally was patient enough to get some photos, even if only between the posts of the deck (the birds are a little shy!):

   The hummingbirds drink quickly from each perch, then fly up to a distant branch to rest, then presumably head off to the nest before returning a few minutes later.

   But the hummingbirds weren't the only visitors enjoying the nectar. I heard buzzing and spotted this wasp. They kind of creep me out, but they are kind of cool-looking. It was drunk on sugar-water & undisturbed by my lens in its face:

And it was shortly followed by a tiny, friendly butterfly:

Yep, it was like my own Animal Planet this morning.

Red Panda

I just caught a show on Animal Planet that was all about red pandas, in the wilds of Nepal. Hard to imagine a cuter animal, as evidenced by these photos I found on Google. Makes me want to visit the zoo...