A Bee Or A Fly? A Bug Or A Moth?

I've been paying more attention this year to insects and butterflies that visit the flower garden. At first glance I thought it looked a little like a honeybee, but then I noticed the eyes which reminded me of a fly's eyes. I posted it to an insect forum and found out that it is a type of hover fly, also referred to as a flower fly. This particular species is a tranverse banded drone fly. They are important pollinators.When I first saw this colorful creature I thought it was some sort of bug. It turns out that it is actually Ailanthus webworm which is a type of moth. It is an invasive species originating from South America but does not cause much damage. During the caterpillar stage they eat plants as would be expected but are pollinators while in their adult stage (above). 

Ross's Goose Was A First For Me

It's not often I add a new species to my life list these days. I try not to follow the reports because I don't want to be obsessed with chasing birds. I don't like burning the gas and I have to be careful with my free time right now. I had another birder tip me off that there was a Ross's Goose being reported and even offered to give me a ride to see it. That was an offer I couldn't refuse and I'm glad I took him up on it. 

A Ross's Goose is very similar looking to a Snow Goose. It is smaller than a Snow Goose, has a smaller bill and it has an all white head. A Snow Goose usually has a little bit of rust color on the head.

It was mixed in with a flock of a couple of hundred Canada Geese but being all white made it easy to pick out. It even put on a show by flying circles around us a few times!

Bridges, Birds, And Bumblebees

I've been trying to make use of my bike lately and to keep my birdwatching local. I took a ride down to this bridge and walked along both sides of the road.

My bird of the morning was this Hermit Thrush. Being without your car tends to make me a little more patient because I'm not going to be tempted to chase rare birds around the state on my bike.

 I found this Hermit quietly perched on a branch hidden behind a tree. I might have overlooked it if I had been in a rush but on this particular day, I was taking time to stop and smell the flowers.I noticed something encouraging this year. I have seen more bumblebees than I have in the past few years. I counted over 20 of them on one mum plants. It has been reported that the population has decreased by as much as 90 percent over the last 20 years so I'm hoping that they are on the increase again. Pollinators are important! 

Foliage, Flowers, And Sparrows

I haven't heard much about fall color this year in the news. I was happy to see there's some around.  

I liked the way this flower looked when I was out looking for fall sparrows. I don't know what kind it is but I remember seeing a picture of Cosmos and wondered if that's what this might be?

I've seen plenty of sparrows but not really the ones I've been looking for. Mostly Savannah Sparrows so far. Still, they look nice, especially viewed through a spotting scope.