Common Branded Skipper on Alfalfa

This butterfly was spotted on an Alfalfa plant in Carburn Park a couple of mornings ago, 16 August 2014. It's a small Skipper butterfly, and I think it may be a Common Branded Skipper. There are a lot of Skippers everywhere at the moment.

It's the time of year when the various tiny Warblers are passing through the city again. Various ones were seen, but without binoculars, I couldn't really see them. For me, the highlight of the three-hour stroll was seeing a female White-tailed Deer and her twins. They were hidden deep in the bushes and trees, making it difficult to get photos. Such a treat to see these gorgeous wild animals.

I ended up being out all day as Flickr/birder/photographer friend, Pam, asked if I wanted to go SE of the city to the Frank Lake area, straight after the morning's walk. We had a fun afternoon, with a few reasonable bird sightings. The clouds were amazing, though somehow I didn't manage to get any good photos of them. Seeing them reflected in the lake was perhaps the best place. Thanks, Pam, for suggesting a drive to one of my favourite areas!