Gibsonville, North Carolina.

A yellow-breasted chat with nesting material last month in Chatham County, N.C. #birds

A white-eyed vireo last month in Chatham County, N.C. #birds

Ruby-throated hummingbirds spend a lot of time at rest. This one was in High Point, N.C. #birds

I suspect mites are to blame for the loss of feathers on this common grackle in Greensboro, N.C. #birds

Raising the next generation of house finches is hard work. #birds

A young yellow-crown night heron grabs a snack Monday in Durham, N.C. #birds

A Carolina wren taking advantage of the mister on a hot afternoon in Greensboro, N.C. #birds

A female orchard oriole last week in Chatham County, N.C. #birds

The birds turned my backyard into a nursery last week. Young titmice, Carolina wrens, brown thrashers and blue jays were all yelling at their parents to feed them. #birds

A summer tanager in Chatham County, North Carolina. #birds

A yellow-crowned night heron on a very hot afternoon in Durham, N.C. #birds

A blue-eyed squirrel in my backyard. All the squirrels with blue eyes also have white markings, in this case a white paw and a white-tipped tail.

A chestnut-sided warbler, a bird I only see during migration in central North Carolina. We saw this one last week at Grayson-Highlands State Park in Va. #birds

Grayson-Highlands State Park in Whitetop, Va., last week.

They dig up my flowers and eat more than their share of bird seed. But I don't begrudge them a thing. This young squirrel prepares for a nap in a nearby tree after eating and running through the hose mister on a very hot afternoon in Greensboro, N.C.

A young green heron shakes things up in High Point, N.C., this week. #birds

A fledgling cowbird can't contain its excitement when it catches sight of its foster parent, a song sparrow. #birds

With the approach of July 4, just another reminder that this is the only orange monarch we need.

A least flycatcher Monday at Grayson-Highlands State Park in Virginia. #birds

A blue-headed vireo at Grayson-Highlands State Park in Virginia yesterday. The park is a 2.5-hour drive from my home, and I get to see a lot of birds I usually see only in migration. #birds

A grasshopper sparrow sings along a country road in Guilford County, North Carolina. #birds

Prairie warblers recently in Chatham County, North Carolina. #birds

A very young green heron practices his fishing skills in High Point, N.C. I'd say he's doing pretty good. #birds

An orchard oriole last week at the Guilford County farm in Gibsonville, N.C. #birds

Snapping turtles mating in High Point. At least I think that's what they're doing.

The family of crows that visit my yard every evening to see what's for dinner. #birds

A blue grosbeak Tuesday in Chatham County, North Carolina. #birds

A blue jay fledgling in my backyard last week. The fledglings drown out all the other bird calls. #birds

Chatham County, North Carolina.

A wild turkey at Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina last week. #birds

Northern flicker males in my backyard in Greensboro, N.C. #birds

A damselfly with a snack.

I could spend hours sitting by the water watching damselflies. In fact, that's what I did last week. I saw this one at Stone Mountain in North Carolina.

A muskrat last month in High Point, N.C.

A male prairie warbler earlier this week in Chatham County, N.C. #birds

Deer share a quiet moment in Chatham County, N.C., on Monday.

Eastern phoebes Monday at Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, N.C. #birds

A green heron earlier this month at Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge in Anson County, North Carolina. #birds

A buck stops near the rangers' station at Stone Mountain State Park last week in Roaring Gap, N.C.

A northern flicker family visited my yard today. #birds

A song sparrow (left) feeds a cowbird fledgling yesterday in my backyard. I take some variation of this picture every year, and I'm still amazed by the success of brood parasites. #birds

A male box turtle embarks on an adventure last week at Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge.

This photo is probably the closest I'll come to capturing the serenity I feel at Stone Mountain State Park. We spent Monday afternoon reading next to the stream that provided a perch for a female common merganser. #birds

I was watching a scarlet tanager Monday at Stone Mountain State Park when the hooded warbler showed up and chased him. Two birds that I seldom see in the same tree! #birds

Opie, a rescue donkey, enjoying a dust bath this afternoon at the Guilford County Farm.

A scarlet tanager yesterday at Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, N.C. #birds

A great blue heron at a local office park last month. #birds

A blue-gray gnatcatcher at the Guilford County farm last month. Spoiler alert: gnats are not a big part of their diet though they do eat a variety of insects. #birds

I wish this were a better photo because a few minutes after taking it, I was swarmed by fire ants on a gravel road at Pee Dee NWR, and I'm not sure it was worth it. #birds