We had a little bit of a cool spell over the last weekend – for us. Listen, wherever you live, when the low is 82º one night and 55º the next, it feels a heck of a lot colder than the temperatures alone, sound!

Sly, discovering MJ’s bathrobe, or as we like to call it, the “mobile blankie.”
And no, we didn’t put him there – he crawled in there all by himself!

I looked out the window, Sunday morning, and saw this:

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

This must be an old, slow Swallowtail, because I have never had one hold still for its close-up before. I think that maybe the sudden temperature drop must have taken it by surprise, too, because it seemed all too happy to hang out, take in a little South Florida sunshine, and maybe have a snack.

Pavonia Bahamensis

This shrub is a relative of the Hibiscus, and is actually native to the Bahamas, but is naturalized here. It’s a great favorite of the bees and hummingbirds (when we get them… but I haven’t spotted any yet – insert frowny face here).

Northern Mockingbird

While I stood there, waiting to see if the Swallowtail would hold still, this young mockingbird popped out of the Pavonia, not three feet away from me, decided that I was no threat, and unconcernedly began snacking on the Beautyberry.

Even though the temperatures will be back up to 90º by the weekend (just in time for my niece’s outdoor wedding – pray for rain!), the signs of fall are beginning to make themselves known.

Please feel free to click on the photos – I’ve resized them larger than usual, so you can really get into the details!

———————————————

Michelle at Rambling Woods is hosting Nature Notes: Signs of the Season, a weekly meme dedicated to challenging us to take a moment out of our hectic lives and notice the seasonal changes – large and small – taking place in nature all around each of us, in our own little corners of the world. Please visit Michelle and all the other participants, and maybe take some of your own Nature Notes!

Remember a few weeks ago, when I was trying to explain about the Northern Mockingbird who just wouldn’t shut up? Well, he’s back. And I’ve got proof, this time! I made a video. A crappy video, but a video nonetheless. Here’s roughly two and a half minutes of that little bugger, perched on my next door neighbor’s antenna, going on and on and on – and he wasn’t even close to being finished when I stopped recording!

And here’s a still image from the performance, in case you can’t tolerate looking at my blurry jumpiness. Oh, and keep in mind that this was taken through a closed door, and all the windows were closed, too! Be patient, he really takes off in the second minute!

Well, I didn’t say it was a good video…

… then it can’t be mating season. Because the one that’s been hanging out in my backyard lately, will. not. shut. UP. EVER.

Yes, all day, all night – especially after midnight (not counting meal breaks) – the male Northern Mockingbirds are in fine voice, showing off their repetoires of whatever songs and sounds they’ve picked up recently, all in an attempt to attract that lovely little female, oh, about a mile-and-a-half from here. At least that what it sounds like.

He gets particularly creative around 2:00 in the morning. God, I wish he’d get laid already.

No pun intended.

This is not what I originally intended to be my first post for Nature Notes, but after being awakened several times during the night, last night, I had no choice.