Category Archives: butterflies

The Sparrow Farm Trail

One of the most scenic sites locally is also a prime birding spot – and a fine mountain bike trail. Today Ginger, our pup, and I took a little hike, seeing and hearing a few birds, but also just enjoying a pretty September morning in Vermont.

The view to the west showing Camel’s Hump peak. A Broad-winged hawk was circling and calling to add a nice touch.

The trail is part of a major network built and maintained by community groups and the city.

Ginger, my birding companion, can get a bit impatient.

Here’s a view from the trail showing the farm and one of the many Monarchs out and about.

Arizona Butterflies

As our friends and family deal with yet another winter storm in New England, it feels a bit mean to be posting photos of butterflies. Yet below all that snow and frozen leaf litter, Mourning Cloak pupae lie waiting to emerge once Spring arrives. Here, they came to check out the Texas oranges the first day I put them out (in Arizona.)

One of the rather common butterflies, not by appearance but by number, that I see in the Southwest in the winter is the Pipevine Swallowtail. This male was pretty spiffy in the afternoon sunlight. We should see them in New England this summer.