Silver lining in the Dismal smoke

The smoke from the new fires in the Dismal Swamp comes and goes with the wind. The Swamp is about 50 plus miles northwest by the crow but when 5000 acres are burning that mileage is not a factor. The smoke has obscured the sun on occasion which creates an odd light on the landscape.
With an hour in my pocket and no plans on how to spend it, I headed to my bird blind yesterday afternoon. The smoke gave me the cloudiness for a few shots that a normal 3 o'clock in the afternoon denies.


I watched a hummingbird playfully spar with a wren in a crepe myrtle, then spotted this young Cardinal looking for sunflower seeds or perhaps the water from a garden sprinkler.


A wren came in for a nice little shower.


Look who paused on a sunflower head right in front of me. I think I suprised him, too.


This Hummingbird came to the garden to get a soaking shower. Chasing that Wren is hot work!