New friends at the pond

Adding a water feature to our backyard has attracted some interesting new friends.  It seems every morning when I go out to feed the goldfish there is some new friend at the pond.  Last week a whitetail dragonfly lit on the railing beside me as I enjoyed my morning coffee.  I took a chance of getting my camera and it paid off with this spectacular picture. The dragonfly was probably there for mosquitoes that hang out near water.   I appreciate the dragonfly's beauty and eating habits.  A couple of days later an American goldfinch landed on my black-eyed susans to feast on the seeds. I was so excited to see it up close I didn't dare move to try to get my camera.

Monday, I captured this grasshopper resting on the pond treatment bottle.  He loved having his picture taken so much that I had to shake the bottle to get him off it.  Yesterday, when I walked out on the deck, I scared off a blue tailed skink (lizard).  It was about six inches long so I got a good look at it before it slid between the railings.  They are quite common around here.  I hope he didn't have Monday's grasshopper for breakfast.

Today's visitor was perhaps the most disturbing.  As I watered the flowers by the pond, the spray prompted out a southern black widow spider from the rocks.  Holy cow!  I knew what it was immediately because we have seen them before in this yard.  I sprayed the rocks again and got this picture.  Don't worry -- I'm not going to get that close again.  I am going to look for the can of bug killer AND call the Orkin lady!

Now, I know to take my camera out with me every morning when I check on my babies.  I never know what new friends might be hanging out near the pond.