I know it’s not Wednesday.

But I don’t believe there’s a specific blogging day dedicated to the celebration of wildlife in the garden and I want to change that.  I’m inviting enthusiastic garden bloggers everywhere to snap photos of the wild visitors in your gardens and then to join me on Wednesday, July 2, 2014 and every first Wednesday of the month after that, to share posts about those wild ones you encounter.  Photograph and write about any kind of wildlife that interests you.

From the ordinary,

to the extraordinary.

Post about the beneficial ones,

or the not so beneficial ones.

All garden bloggers dedicate some writing and photography to the furry, feathery, or scaly in their gardens.  Attracting wildlife to our gardens is partially why we garden isn’t it?  A garden is never so alive and vibrant than when it is graced by wildlife.  Otherwise, it’s not much of a garden.

I admire the many bloggers who have more patience (and probably a better camera) than I.  I’m frequently awed by the juxtaposition of the artful and the scientific displayed in gardening blogs.  Garden bloggers love sharing the beauty of wildlife in their gardens. We teach what we’ve learned and experienced because of our passion for gardening and the critters intrinsic to cycle of our gardens.

In this dedicated wildlife meme, my own personal goal is to become a more patient  photographer and to improve my study of the wide variety of wildlife who inhabit, visit and share my garden space.

This past spring, I wasn’t able to post about my Eastern Screech owlets because they were high up in the tree before I spotted them and shy before that–I only saw one at the nest box, one time.   Mom and Dad owl raised four owlets this spring and seemingly ushered them into the outside world successfully.

Last year (2013) we enjoyed quite the drama when our owlets fledged, though I don’t think the owls were quite as pleased with their initial excursion from their nest box.

This little one was glaring down at my curious and circling cats and needed my intervention. Check out those talons: woe to the rats, mice and toads when they come into contact with those.

I love being needed.

I don’t think Little Owl appreciated my help.

Don’t worry Little Owl, you’ll be back in the tree in asap!  I deposited Little Owl in the tree as both parents watched and within a few days, they were off!

A day or two before The Great Rescue, I was eyeballing Dad Owl in the Mt. Laurel and discovered this magnificent Cecropia silkmoth, Hyalophora cecropia .

I’ve never seen one before or since.

Wildlife in my garden–owls and their off-spring because I’ve welcomed them with a nest box (and plenty of toads from the pond to hunt) and a moth who found refuge in a lush, native tree.

Let’s do it!

Wildlife Wednesday.  July 2, 2014.

Beginning July 2, 2014 and every first Wednesday of the month thereafter.