A Hint of Autumn?--08/20/2010

I hate to say it, but I’m afraid that summer will soon start to wind down to a close, though that’s hard to believe on account of all of the hot and lazy summer days we have had of late. The other day, however, to my disbelief, I spotted a few trees whose leaves have already begun to turn from their dark green to a barely-noticeable orange.

Even the birds seem to sense a change; I have seen a significant spike in hummingbird activity since my last column. Instead of the customary single hummer, multiple hummers have visited my feeders and my flowers, often at the same time, which usually leads to a hummingbird showdown. They also seem to be putting on weight—strange to say about a creature the weight of a paper clip—that will eventually aid in their long journey down to Mexico.

In addition, I have also seen some other special visitors that generally only appear near the end of the summer: the Cedar Waxwings, some of my favourite birds, have made their customary yearly appearance in my yard, heralded by their customary high-pitched “zees”. Though I have only spotted a few, I’m sure that, in the weeks ahead, more and more will flock to my backyard.

In other news, I have some important updates on the Watch the Birds blog and e-mail. As of this week, I am happy to inaugurate the completely-refurbished and brand-spanking-new Watch the Birds website. Make sure to check us out on the web at www.watchthebirdsvermont.blogspot.com for additional birding tips, tricks, and photos! Perhaps more importantly, my e-mail and contact information has changed. My former e-mail address will no longer function; please send all questions and comments to watch.the.birds.vt@gmail.com, and I will be sure to send a prompt reply! Happy Birding, and enjoy the last few weeks of summer!

Some lovely Nature photography

One thing I always wish I could do is to capture the beauty of Nature on film: to preserve the moment a hummingbird alights from a branch, a goldfinch harvesting seeds from a flower, or, in this case, a cheeky chipmunk bringing home the bacon.

Naturally, with the right equipment, a great deal of patience, and some creativity and skill, you can get some fantastic shots like this one.

My good friend and a talented photographer, Alex Golec, took this great picture of one of my chipmunks feasting away on sunflower seeds on my porch steps.

Make sure to take a look at some of Alex's other photographs at Think Twice Photography:

http://thinktwicephotography.tumblr.com/archive

A Canada Warbler?

Yesterday, as was getting out of the car, I saw an interesting bird sitting in the bush next to my door. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a really good look at it; however, after some thumbing through my various guidebooks and doing some hunting on the Internet, with the help of eBird and other local Vermont birding logs, I was able to narrow my guess down to the Canada Warbler. It seems there have been some nearby lately, so it's not out of the question.

Check out other Canada Warbler sightings in Bennington County on the eBird link below:

http://ebird.org/ebird/vt/GuideMe?cmd=decisionPage&speciesCodes=canwar&getLocations=counties&counties=US-VT-003&bYear=2009&eYear=2009&bMonth=1&eMonth=12&reportType=species&parentState=US-VT

The Owl Box Project

Yesterday, I learned that a pretty interesting project is currently underway to learn more about Barn Owls and their nesting habits. The Owl Box Project placed a live webcam in the nest of a Barn Owl, named "Mollie," and her mate, "McGee."

The celebrity owls appeared on national network television last night. Mollie is currently working on hatching her second egg.

To take a peek at Mollie, McGee, and their babies, take a look at http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox . For more information on Barn Owls or the Owl Box Project check out this link: http://www.sportsmansparadiseonline.com/Barn_Owls.html

The Arrival of the Cedar Waxwings!

Is it that time already?! I always know that summer is drawing to a close when I hear the calls of the Cedar Waxwings. Sure enough, as the second week of August appeared, so did these special little birds. I've only spotted a few, but I imagine that the garden will soon resonate with the sound of their customary high-pitched "zees."

As happy as I am to see them (they're some of my favourites), I'm not so happy to see August zipping by. Oh well. Have to take it as it comes.

Debut of new format!

It seems like there are a lot of changes going on in both my backyard and here at watchthebirdsvermont.blogspot.

As I'm sure you've all noticed, I decided to revamp the design a little bit--ok, well, a lot. I think it's pretty. Hope you all do, as well!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE! Change of E-Mail!

Greetings, all!

There comes a time when we all need a change. No, I'm not moving to Nebraska or converting to Buddhism. It's just a change in my e-mail.

I will no longer be able to receive messages in my former account (i.e. chickadee@att.net). Please send all questions and queries to watch.the.birds.vt@gmail.com and I will be sure to send a prompt reply!

Many thanks, and keep birding!

Madeleine

Lazy Summer--08/06/2010

It seems like the summer just started, and already, the flowers are starting to fade. All this hot weather has surely left its mark on the Green Mountains, which have been scorching in the sun for the past few weeks. Even the birds seem to be taking a vacation from the heat; they appear for their morning feeding, and then retreat to the cool branches of bushes and trees until twilight falls on the Valley.

The backyard, however, is still abuzz with a steady hum of activity: Ruby-throated hummingbirds feast on the blossoms of bee-balm and hostas as they come to the end of their season, house finches and sunshine yellow goldfinches bob around the tube feeders and noisy swallows swoop through the sky. This is without a doubt one of my favourite times of the year in Vermont. No matter where you look, you can always be sure that a surprise will await you!

One thing to be sure to remember in a heat spell like this is to make sure that your hummingbird feeders are in tip-top condition. The heat makes sugar water go bad faster, and promotes the growth of mildew and fungus that can harm hummingbirds. Wash your feeders thoroughly with a mild dish soap and let them air dry before setting them out. In addition, take a cotton swab and clean the portals on your feeders, to wipe away any sugar residue and bacteria. Change the nectar in your feeders every three to four days for optimal freshness.

Have you had any exciting sightings lately? Is there a question that you want to ask? If so, please feel free to contact me at watch.the.birds.vt@gmail.com and I will be sure to send a prompt reply. Also, check us out on the web at www.watchthebirdsvermont.blogspot.com!

A little visitor ^_^

As I was snapping those photos of my garden, I was surprised by a visit from one of my little hummingbird friends. She hovered around me before proceeding to test the flowers, finally settling on the clothes line as if posing for a picture.

I was kneeling about 10 feet away when these were taken. I'm glad (and incredibly surprised) that my little Kodak could capture these.

Late Summer Colors