The female red belied woodpecker goth hungry early. A brown thrasher checked to see if food had been delivered. It had not. I was too chilly and the air was too wet.
Since 1/1/11 I have been describing what I see in the back yard. I occasionally digress.
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Friday, May 17, 2024
Gloomy
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Summery
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Yellow flowers
The overnight rain overflowed the ant moat and the dish feeders. Today's early bird was a female bluebird after seeds. Then a brown thrasher arrived. Pretty soon another joined it. I assumed they were mates. When the rain stopped, I put a few barkbutter balls on the ground. A mockingbird eventually showed up and flashed at the barkbutter balls. The male cardinal was a very determined lover, more successful on terra firma than the seed feeder perch. Late in the day, I saw a brown headed nuthatch.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Rain
Monday, May 13, 2024
Spider
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Rabbit
While watering plants, K saw the rabbit on the front walk
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Brown thrashers
Meanwhile the female bluebird and brown headed nuthatches competed with the cardinals, house finches, and chickadees for seeds. The barge I saw the other day headed downstream, again ignoring the "no wake" signs. The lanceleaf coreopsis, aka tickseed, was flowering, but a lot of the flower stalks were lying on the ground. The evening primroses and coral lilies were also blooming as I circled the pool. I rescued a scarab beetle too.
Some birds were also upset because only the seed feeder had food. The suet was gone, to the distress of the female pileated woodpecker. A mockingbird had a look into the empty cage as though the suet was just hiding. I rearranged the feeders so the hummer juice is where the suet was and the barkbutter dishes are at either end of the patio. That got the blue jays excited and the bluebird switched from seeds to barkbutter balls. Toward evening, a couple mourning doves roamed the patio.
Last night there were sightings of the Northern Lights because of a solar storm. But we had rain.
Friday, May 10, 2024
Stand-off over suet
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Waiting
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Butterflies
The temperature got up into the 90s, with a nice breeze and moderate humidity. Hot enough to swim, so I did. That was fortunate for a camel cricket and two scarab beetles. On the other hand, the two big black beetles I found in the skimmer were probably beyond reviving, though beetles can surprise you. In the afternoon, more beetles were rafting but I did not try to rescue them. Then we went out for lunch and when we were home again, there were butterflies. A black swallowtail laid eggs on the rue. A couple of cabbage whites dueled in the air. Then I saw two mating on a money plant pod, one much yellower than the other. Another cabbage white, (maybe the one dueling earlier?) tried to break up the happy couple but did not succeed. A variegated fritillary butterfly flitted around the yard. The female bluebird came back for more mealworms.
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Threatening sky
The sky was blue to the North while scary clouds boiled South of us. Unfortunately, I forgot to take any photos. The temperature touched 80° but the threat of storm kept me inside. I saw mockingbirds and the usual downy woodpeckers, cardinals, house finches, and chickadees.
Monday, May 6, 2024
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Unsettled weather
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Booby-trap
The female red bellied woodpecker came around for a seed supper. The male downy woodpecker wanted suet but K had filled the ant moat and the woodpecker got a bath instead. He decided to have seeds instead.
Friday, May 3, 2024
Chilly
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Cold water
It was lunch time when the birds finally got theirs. Blue jays and mockingbirds were happy. By afternoon, the sun was hot but the water was only 68. Still, I got in till a black fly drove me out. Butterflies continued to tease me. A wasp worked on the rue. Skinks went about their business around the steps. A blue jay sunbathed on an oak limb. A mockingbird grew bold enough to pretend it didn't see me. Two downy woodpeckers argued over the suet. Strange things moved beneath the surface of the creek. Rings formed with no visible cause. A line of turbulence moved downstream.