After the torrential downpour we had last weekend, I surely did not expect that I would have a busy birding day ahead of me. I was proved wrong…
First of all, I was privileged to see a majestic Great Blue Heron flying through the fog when we were driving back from church in the morning. They do look their best when seen in a mist or dark sky, I must say.
A few hours later we were back at home, waiting for the weather to clear. As soon as the rain stopped, there was a swarm of birds that came to the backyard. I counted twenty one robins on the lawn, as well as a gaggle of chickadees, a few blue jays, and two very wet chipmunks. After my initial surprise about the number of robins, I immediately realized why they had come in droves: a meal opportunity. Obviously, the drumming sound of the rain had caused many worms to surface, thus providing an excellent midday snack. Talk about a spectacle!
On the other hand, there has also been an unusual amount of activity with our hummingbirds during the past week. Soon enough, they will be making their long journey to Mexico for the winter. For us humans, this means that it may prove life-threatening to venture out of doors—after all, you may be struck down by a swarm of violent hummingbirds. During their frequent and vicious fights amongst themselves, they are not deterred by bouncing off the porch screen in a desperate attempt to get to the exotic flowering plants inside. My fuchsias are no longer safe. To please the cute little devils remember to keep them on that sugar high by changing the nectar in your feeders frequently. Oh, and in spite of the old myth, you may keep your feeders out past Labor Day. It will not prevent the hummingbirds from migrating, but might actually save the lives of a few stragglers.
So remember: when going outside always be equipped with a rain-proof coat and be ready to hit the deck in case of a hummingbird emergency. Happy birding!
Do you have anything you’d like to report or ask about? If so, be sure to shoot an e-mail to chickadee@att.net.
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