Summer Solstice 2022 - and honoring a highlight of late spring, a Black-rimmed Prominent

As I walked in the oppressive heat that has taken hold of the midwest today at Carondelet Park in St. Louis Missouri, I first heard, then watched two Green Herons chasing a Little Blue Heron around our little Horseshoe Lake. They chose to nest at the park again this year - I heard the young begging from the tree they chose, but did not want to get too close. A Great Egret stood nearby, watching. "Wheep" calls rang out in at least three distinctly separate spots of the park, meaning three nesting spots. Blue Jays were busy everywhere with young, as were many other resident species. This was meant to be a sort of exercise walk, a defiant gotta get out of the house despite the heat and my moodiness walk, but as usual, the birds captured my attention and made me smile. I am grateful for the incredible spring we had, but I am looking forward to the days growing shorter.

Before the simmering days of summer take hold with a vengeance, I'd like to mention one astounding highlight of late spring - a particular moth called the Black-rimmed Prominent, a species I'd never heard of, let alone encountered before June 3 of this year. When I walked outside one evening to check the blacklit sheet in my backyard for visitors, I was shocked to find this large and glorious moth hanging on the edges on the wood structure we'd created to hang the sheet in our tiny yard. This moth restored my sight, restored my belief in magic.

Sometimes our eyes get clouded over with a sort of malaise and misery and monotony - and that's all we see, if we don't remain vigilant to this, tend to this in ourselves. We become blind. It's easy to do, particularly in an urban environment. I'd felt this sort of cataract forming, but had not been tending myself. Thank you, Black-rimmed Prominent. You were like a laser beam, burning away the film hazing my eyes. Your totally unexpected large hit of the marvelous seemed just what I needed to remember my backyard is a portal into wonder and clear my vision.

Publicado el junio 22, 2022 05:43 TARDE por wildreturn wildreturn

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wildreturn

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Junio 2022

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