Big Bend National Park, 6/24-5/13

Earlier this week I ran up to Big Bend to look for the Flame-colored Tanager that has been present for several weeks in Boot Canyon.  While birding I made it a point to keep my eyes open for butterflies.  In the couple of days I was up there I saw about twenty five species.  A treat for me was finding thirteen Juniper Hairstreaks, all in Boot Canyon and all but two were nectaring on bear grass blooms.

The only other hairstreak I was able to find was this great Purple Hairstreak.  The blooming bear grass below the high country was devoid of butterflies.

Also in upper Boot Canyon was this busy Mounring Cloak.

And several Mexican Yellows.

The next morning, sore from the previous day's hike up to Boot Canyon, I hobbled down the Window trail and was pleased to see several Golden-headed Scallopwings.

Al least three Streaky Skippers flushed along the trail.

As I left the park after noon there were many small blooming forbs along the road but very few butterflies.

Santa Ana NWR, 6/9/13

With the heat of summer on and bird migration over it's time to switch to butterfly mode and fire up the blog.  This morning at Santa Ana NWR I found this Red-bordered Pixie, my first of the year, nectaring with Celia's Roadside-Skippers in a blooming ebony near the entrance to the visitor's center.

I decided to walk around dry Willow Lake and was surprised to find two Texas Powdered-Skippers under the large ashes on the west end.

Here's a pretty Southern Broken-dash.

And a tiny Southern Skipperling.

This Mimosa Yellow was in the shade just like it's supposed to be.