baby robins, snakes (ick), butterflies, swans and more

this guy seems to have moved into an area in my back yard that i refer to has "flower island". and it is more likely a she than a he because we've had snakes in there before and they like to have their babies there. I have to tell you that it is a big deal for me to have taken a picture of a snake and then post it on my blog. even the thought of the photo on my camera card gives me the heebie jeebies. (trust me, i will be erasing it right after this). but i am trying to get past my utter disgust for snakes. this one is harmless; although i will not appreciate tons of baby snakes slithering around while i am trying to water.... blachhhh. my lack of enthusiasm for snakes comes from when i was younger, in 8th grade, and i had a paper route. i would be out very early in the morning delivering papers. it would be so quiet and peaceful out in the country with the birds chirping, cows in the meadow, dogs barking. i'm busy daydreaming and then wham out of nowhere, a snake would slither in front of my bike and scare the crap out of me! it happened on many occasion too.

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we are surrounded by many little lake areas, so last night as we were driving home from the beach, we came across this swan and 3 babies. we fed them the rest of our bread.

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here are the latest pictures of the baby robins. they are getting bigger. whenever i walk under the arbor i can see their heads beeboppin about as i look up. i think they hear me and think that it is their momma come to feed them.

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i noticed this guy while i was just outside watering. he was quite hard to pin down for a photo. the second shot is kind of cool. as i was just taking the shot of him, he flew away and you can see a wisp of him leaving.

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so tonight i have been recruited to man the bird area that i visited yesterday. there were a couple of delayed firework displays for several townships here, so they are having them tonight and tomorrow night. the beach towns set off fireworks from their boardwalks, so after the incident on the 4th, there will be people there to keep an eye out for any idiot who thinks its fun to set off firecrackers next to an endangered bird colony. then next week i will be receiving training to become a "monitor". i will learn all about the birds (who will be there until August) and then i will monitor their activities, take notes, etc. sounds fun to me.