Ultimate cuteness

A lucky photographer sent me this image of a baby phoebe standing on a purple coneflower. Usually I feature one of my own photos and cuteness isn't necessarily what I'm after. But this wonderful image captured my nature-loving heart.

Phoebes are notorious for building mud nests high on the sides of country homes. Sometimes they seem to be erratic in their process of deciding the perfect nest site. If you have noticed unsightly splotches of mud near the roof overhang during spring, it was probably done by a phoebe.

The purple coneflower is a Missouri native wildflower. It is often found in open wood lots, prairies and fields. Once established, the purple coneflower will return in the same area year after year.