Tailed Cecropian at NBC, 8/3/13

What a day for flashy Nymphalids at the National Butterfly Center south of Mission.  I parked in my usual spot and walked over to the bird feeding station and there's a Gray Cracker on a bait log.  So I walked north, checking the bait logs, and I found more Gray Crackers.  My final count was seven.  I kept walking north and a I saw a tall, well armed photographer ahead of me and he was photographing something good.  John Rosford had just found a Tailed Ceropian Historis acheronta.  I'm sure his photos are fantastic but here we'll have to settle for mine.

The Gray Crackers may have been outclassed but they're still pretty hot.

This one really blends in with the other butterflies.

This is certainly the summer of the Dingy Purplewings.  They are common across the upper Valley.  I even got some purple on this one.

Normally a Ruddy Daggerwing is the bug of the day.  But not today and this summer they've been pretty common.

White Angled-Sulphurs often nectar in the tops of the Mexican Olives where they are tough to photograph.

A beautiful Soldier.

Gee, I almost forgot about the Band-celled Sister.

And one more rockin' Nymphalid, a Questionmark.

This Texas Spiny Lizard was positioned by one of the bait logs.  It seems to know what it's doing.

And of course Martin Reid had to contribute something great.  But not a butterfly this time.  His sharp eyes spied a young Short-tailed Hawk.  Common in Mexico, this raptor is pretty rare in Texas.