Andy Chase

While I was drinking coffee, listening to fiddle tunes and checking email on the porch this morning, a Scarlet Tanager stopped by one of the trees right out front. I don't think I've ever seen one before, and he was breathtaking.

Shortly before leaving for work I saw a gorgeous, huge Pileated Woodpecker, probably the same one I saw at the edge of the yard a couple of weeks ago.

The other day I heard a younger pileated yelling before I spotted him bopping up and down a tree along the driveway.

Fireflies are starting to come out.

...and of course there are the newts and toads that come out whenever it's damp.

We met this milk snake who we hoped to see a lot more of throughout the summer, but we found him dead in the garden just a day or two after this photo was taken. I don't know why; there was no apparent external injury that we could see.

There is, however, a large garter snake who we've also spotted a couple of times. They like to sun on the rocks.