I bet the hummingbird I saw at the feeder this morning was wishing that it had left already instead of huddling on the feeder in the forty degree weather.
Drinking in the Cold
The sun was able to shine on this flower for a time in the morning before the rain moved in. It is a later blooming plant, even into October, so it is more noticeable in the fall as the other flowers tamper off. It is not a native flower and is considered an invasive weed which has several dozen different names for it. The names I am used to is butter-and-eggs, wild snapdragon and yellow toadflax but some other interesting names are calf’s snout, dead men’s bones, bunny haycocks and impudent lawyer.
Butter-and-Eggs Blossom
This year I gave up having potted flowers on my porch or any vegetables because the chipmunks would uproot and dig out my plants. Even without having any potted plants all summer, it didn’t take them long to discover a couple of potted trees that I received recently but haven’t planted yet. The chipmunks have been digging already and burrowed tunnels down around the roots.
Troublesome Chipmunk
I think there are a few young orioles that tried to get a few more fun summer days in and didn’t leave when the rest of the orioles headed south as I had a group of three at the feeder a few days ago and a single oriole this morning. With the cooler temperatures, these youngsters passing through better get headed to their warmer winter home.
Stray Oriole