“Short” Things for the Solstice
Photo: Short-tailed Hawk / Everglades National Park / 24 February 2009
On this shortest day of a long and dark year, I bring you solstice greetings expressed in “short” things in nature.
Here you’ll find birds, a plant and a couple of dragonflies — all with shortness in their names. Only two butterflies in North America include “short” in their common names: Short-tailed Swallowtail and Short-tailed Skipper. I regret that I have yet to see either.
Even so, because butterflies were such a huge part of my year, I’ll bring you instead White-striped Longtail, which I photographed in Texas in February. Consider it a tribute to the longer days ahead.
Onward to the light.
50 comments
It’s great to hear from you, Peter. (Sorry about my belated reply.) I’m sending you peace and healing in 2021!
Dear Sue, It’s always so nice to hear from you. I’m wishing you better days and lots of flying things ahead.
My early treat this morning was viewing a bird feeder with sunflower seeds below a Luna crabapple in Hanover visited by Tufted Titmouse to a Redpoll and many more – perhaps straddling both sides of the solstice.
What a treat to hear from you, Sue. Love your exuberance. (And I’m jealous of your grosbeaks — enjoy them for me!) xoxox.
Great, Carol. Yeah, increasing light with each new year you are on the planet!
You are most welcome, Usha. Thanks so much for writing.
Thanks, Rita. And oh, how we need the BEST holiday ever this year!
Those moth-like, long-tailed butterflies are in the skipper family, Hesperiidae. They’re perky and audacious. Thanks, Al!
Aw, shucks. Thanks, Georgeann! And best to you as well in the New Year!
Thanks, Bernie. And let’s hope we can have much more “coming together” next year!
I so love seeing your incredible shots and I earn so much from each little detail. Out our way, we have a lovely flock of evening grosbeaks obbligato up our sumac and bobcat and coyote tracks to enjoy. Sending love and best wishes for the coming year to you, Ruth and Odie! XO
Thanks Bryan. One of the best things I have been telling myself for 63 years( we’ll probably more like 55 years) that I love having a birthday today is that It is the day that starts our new year into the light!!!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful blog and pictures ! I enjoy it very much ! Learn a lot about nature and our wonderful world. thank you
Thanks Bryan. Always such a treasure from you. Solstice – The BEST holiday ever!
I thought, at first, the moth was a frog sitting on some bug. Then I re-looked. Great photos, thank you so much. enjoying your blog.
Hi Bryan, Thank you again for the wondrous peace, prose and poetry from your hand and eyes! Joyous New Year to you! georgeann
And last night we viewed (through Zoom and an 18″ telescope in Calif.) Saturn just a SHORT distance from Jupiter.
Happy to know Bryan’s Short and long reports come together more often than the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter.
Cheers
Bernie
Thanks, “Woody.” Always nice to hear from you. (I still have your “consumer reports” photos — I gotta get to those!)
Good questions, Kate! It’s a feature of a few genera, and even families (Swallowtails). Perhaps ornamentation, perhaps flight stability. But I’ll look into it!
Great to hear from you, Linda. (I miss Plainfield!) And it’s an honor to bring a bit of peace to your world!
Thanks, Stevie! It’s nice to hear from you. Onward to those good days ahead!
You’re welcome, Sue. Thanks for writing!
… and happy light-coming to you as well, Ruth!
Thanks, Anthony! Yeah, only way to survive winter: get out into it. 🙂
I will most certainly send Ruth and Odie your way. (I’m no good on skis.)
Looking forward to those first maple flowers!!!! 🙂
Happy Solstice back atcha, Christine. Here’s to the longer days ahead!
Great to hear from you, Susan. Send my best to our “birding crew.” 🙂
Dearest Amy. We’re thinking of you and Charlie and the “kids.” We’ll check in soon. Sending healing vibes!
You are most welcome, Janet. Thanks for checking in.
John, your words and images and community spirit are gifts to us all.
Clever. I love it! Thanks, Ann!
Thanks, Sandal. Always nice to hear from you. It makes me wistful for old times at the Nature Center (even though the new times there are amazing). 🙂
Short and long of it is this this wish for you and Ruth and your pup to enjoy the year ahead. Thank you for sharing your adventures in your posts.
Neat idea illustrated by excellent photos — well done.
So clever, Bryan! Love it. And that “long tail”! Wonder what the function is. . .
Beautiful photos Bryan. This brings a bit of peace to my world. Thank you for sharing it. Happy Holidays to you
So clever, as always. It’s always a good day when I see a post from you in my inbox. Thank you.
Wonderful photos – many thanks!
Thanks Bryan! Happy coming of the light.
Ruth C.
Awesome photographs once again. Your blogs always inspire me to get back outdoors
Bryan, glad you bugged us and birded us. Happy longest day of the year, now let’s get lighter. And best to you and Ruth. Come visit my trail system for a socially distanced ski or snowshoe. We GOT TRACKS GALORE! Cheers.
Yes, we came up short with the clouds and the conjunction, but this made it all OK. Thanks, Bryan!
Love your posts. Happy Solstice, conjunction and critters both short and long.
Thank you, Bryan. The light is growing from now on.
And, hello to Sandal whom I worked with at Union Elementary.
And Happy Solstice to you Bryan! You are keeping me grounded this holiday season, especially with your previous post! Purchased two of the Vermont books as gifts! Thanks for the recommendation. Can’t wait! Wishing you and Ruth all the joy that nature provides for us this time of year. We are taking it much slower this year and enjoying it!
Your posts give me so much joy! Thank you.
As always, and I mean that, what you write is so worth reading and then there are the great photos too. Thank you!
The long and the short of it is that you came up with a marvelous grouping for the Solstice.
Short and ever so sweet of you to do this, Bryan! Sure wish we were able to see the Grand Conjunction in central VT but alas the clouds took over! Thanks for your great love of nature and ways that you share it! Hope to cross paths in the healthier New Year!