The flowers in the Island of Thistley are going to seed and Atticus Finch, et al, are feeding on them regularly.

There are still a few flowers attracting butterflies, moths and hummingbirds. The male hummingbirds have found the flowers, but I haven’t gotten a picture yet. The highest count for monarch butterflies in the patch is 14. Here’s one sharing a thistle with a ladybug.

It was goldfinches that I’d hope to attract when I left the thistle. Now that about a third of the flowers have passed, the finches – Atticus and Scout – have arrived en masse. There’s a Nyjer seed sock a few feet from the thistle. Between the two, we have a couple dozen goldfinches coming and going. (Their feeder is right next to the hummingbird feeder, things can get kinda hectic at meal time.)