Sweet and Simple

Simply Sunday at the Bailey Tract - a bit foggy and quiet but priceless in its own way.

A lovely pair of Red-shouldered Hawk.

A handful of Coots....

and a Redhead trying to blend in.

Now, if I don't pay attention, I could easily miss the tiny little beauties - such as this Ceraunus Blue Butterfly.

The ceraunus blue butterfly, Hemiargus ceraunus (Fabricius), is a widespread Neotropical butterfly common in southern portions of the U.S. It is common in various open, sunny habitats including roadsides, fallow agricultural land, weedlots, utility corridors, scrubs, open woodlands, yards, and parks.

The ceraunus blue occurs across much of the extreme southern United States southward through Mexico, Central America and the West Indies to South America; occasionally strays northward. In Florida, it can be found in all 67 counties. It is common year-round in southern portions of the state.

The ceraunus blue butterflies are small and easy to overlook. Adults have a wingspan range of 22 to 30 mm. The sexes are dimorphic. The upper surface of the wings is lavender-blue in males with a narrow black margin and a single black hindwing spot. Females are somewhat darker with blue scaling limited to the wing bases. The undersides of the wings are gray with dark bars, white bands and white-rimmed black spots. The hindwing has a prominent orange-rimmed black marginal spot.

(Information was found on UF/IFAS University of Florida website.)