Butterflies at the Piedmont

Butterflies on Leah's hand

The Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge is a good place for birding...but also for butterflies and wildflowers.

We love to go there as we just did this past Saturday.

The funny thing is that everyone gravitates to his or her area of interest.  Debbie looks at the wildflowers and does some birding, Kelly and Leah look for butterflies, and I like birding.  All in the same area.

Seven butterflies on Leah's fingers at a point.

As a result, someone is always calling the rest of the group to look at what they see.  "A Swallowtail, it's a Spicebush!!!...no, it's a Red-spotted Purple." 
And Debbie goes "I wonder about those purple flowers? They always seem to grow in the wild but if I put them in my garden they won't grow."  and I usually answer "because you'll give them too much care, they don't want any care.  They're wild".
And I go "did you hear that? That's a Red-eyed Vireo...here she goes again! Heard it this time?"

This time I've decided to do something different.  Set aside my birding and just follow the kids for some "butterflying". 

Armed with two butterfly guide books and one phone ap, we were able to identify all the butterflies that we saw.

Luckily, the butterflies were very active. 

On Kelly's finger.
A Pearl Crescent.

 Among species seen, I remember a large group of Gray Hairstreaks near the water by Pond 2A, Gulf Fritillaries, with some landing on us, a pretty Question Mark, lots of Cloudless Sulphurs (with their bright yellow!), and some Swallowtails. 

We spent some time by the large rocks at "Little Falling Water". More butterflies were waiting for us: Buckeyes, Viceroys, a Red-spotted Purple, a Red Admiral landed on me!, lots of Little Yellows, Pearl Crescents, some Skippers, and more colorful butterflies.

To cap the day, a Hooded Warbler (this is a furtive pretty yellow bird) was playing by the stream and taking a bath.  Everyone got a chance to appreciate it with binoculars. 

Who knew looking for butterflies could be this much fun?