The beautiful northern water snake I saw recently in shallow water from the boardwalk in Beach Garden Park was brilliantly colored with contrasting dark brown and light brownish-yellow markings.

Two gangly young foals on spindly legs tottered after their moms while several other horses grazed contentedly under a tree in a field of yellow buttercups down in Pungo. From afar, the herd appeared to be just like horses you might see in other farm fields nearby.

The beautiful green luna moth clinging to the bark of a persimmon tree right in the middle of a trail in First Landing State Park was hard to miss. Named for Luna, Roman goddess of the moon, they fly only at night. With its gossamer green wings embellished by purple edges and clear eyespots, the luna looks as though it belongs with fairies, fireflies and other beauties of the night.

Hummers are here Last weekend was a great one for hummingbirds. Sightings came from all over the city. Jane Brumley reported the first hummingbird she had seen in Knotts Island and moving north, Dennis McClenny has two males and two females in his Pungo yard. Karen Beatty saw one in Hunt Club Forest and Dianne Haack had a tiny visitor in her Stumpy Lake neighborhood.

Photo ops Kathy Burns sent over a couple of photos of a young alligator seen in the Lynnhaven River near Virginia Beach Boulevard and the railroad trestle in the London Bridge area. The photos were taken by Jack Moore during Lynnhaven River NOW's regular river cleanup day.