While some birds are done raising their young of the year, others are still at it. You may also notice families of birds chasing each other. Very probably, the young birds of the year are being persuaded by parents to go off and fend for themselves. If you want to focus on one species of bird, a cardinal is a good choice. They are common in most neighborhoods and different family members are easily identified.
Adult males are bright red, adult females are buffy brown with red on the wings, crest and tail.
Both adults have a reddish bill. Butterflies, particularly the orange-colored gulf fritillary, are out in full force, drinking nectar from a variety of cultivated and wild flowers. At this time of year, the fritillaries are also actively seeking the foliage of passion vine, the plant its caterpillars dine on. As summer fades into fall, the numbers of fritillaries will increase even more as they migrate through our area on their way to South Florida. Despite the drought, many native plants are flowering and producing fruits.