Beaten-up Black Swallowtail at Duffins Creek Marsh: August 2020

At first, Black Swallowtails are gorgeous.

Time, however, takes its toll and you can see the change in this individual:

Other flyers:

Thanks to Ken Sproule for assistance in insect identification.

I used to visit Duffins Creek Marsh frequently with my grandfather. It was quite a remote location in those days but now it is surrounded by subdivisions and concrete walking and cycling trails.

There are still birds however and their distance from me made me wish I had a long, long lens. You get the idea anyway from these photos:

Views of the area:

Some botany:

NATURE POETRY

Through all the long midsummer day,
The meadow-sides are sweet with hay.     – John Townsend Trowbridge (1827–1916) 

Miles Hearn