My latest column for The Record and the Herald-News is about some of my favorite birds of summer -- the fishermen.

The photo above, of a Green Heron in Closter, is by Susan McTigue. (Thanks, Susan!)

The link is here.

 

Lillian Thomas, chief gardener emeritus of the Celery Farm Butterfly Garden and all-around terrific person, is celebrating her 90th birthday next week.

If you haven't sent her card but would like to email her your best wishes, please send them to:

 

[email protected]

If you'd still like to send a card:

Lillian Thomas

Box 75

Allendale, NJ 07401

In honor of National Dragonfly Month (there may actually be one in the U.K.) at the Celery Farm, I thought I'd post some recent colorful dragonflies by Alice Leurck. I can identify some. How about you?

Alice's pix of three more dragonflies follow. (Thanks, Alice!)

Last week Sarah Buckley reported: "All of a sudden, we now have at least 3 blond-tailed grey squirrels in our Allendale yard.

"I Googled and found out they have been in Bergen County for several years.  Anyone else have them?"

The answer would be yes. See John Pastore's photo above. Not quite as sure about Sally Teschon's pic below -- John's squirrel appears to be having more fun -- but an "e" for effort.  (Thanks to all!)

I guess I'll have to look at squirrels more closely. Now that we have a voracious groundhog in our garden, the squirrels are looking better.

Deedee Burnside ID's the above Celery Farm frequent flier as a male Common Whitetail. (Thanks, Deedee!)