Wednesday, April 19, 2023

The Scourge of Squirrels

I have given the dog the title above.  Twice this morning he wanted to go out just as a squirrel had settled in to glean fallen sunflower seeds.  He blew out the door leaving ten years behind in the dust.  Of course the squirrels were faster but they had to run all out for the trees.  I wondered to K why they didn't just climb the post.  Did they think the dog could climb like a cat?  He certainly tried!  Just as he missed the squirrels, I missed a tiger swallowtail.   A skink wit a regrown tail headed for cover under the boards.  Later, I saw one on the steps with a classic blue tail.  

A pair of geese paddled by trailed by at least three goslings.  A reddish paper wasp hunted among the weeds.  A queen yellowjacket cruised low over the ground.  A bumblebee hunted for azalea blossoms that still had nectar.  Blue and yellow Dutch irises began blooming.  I think it's time to start spraying for spidermites.  Crane flies have been hanging around the patio door for a week. 

A male goldfinch in summer finery sought a drink from the ant moat that was pea-green with algae.  I hope that's nutritious?  A female cardinal sat eating on the sunflower seed perch when a male came wooing.  She made him hover instead of letting him join her.  It was poor timing on his part since she was already feeding herself.  

As I ate supper, I was joined by a mockingbird, a bluebird, and the female pileated woodpecker.  A yellow rumped warbler in summer feathers scavenged the crumbs left at the end of the day.  Brown headed nuthatches argued with a male house finch that tried to hog the seed perch. 


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