The male goldfinches have lost their summertime bright yellow coloring so now it is harder to tell the males from the females and immature goldfinches. But whatever they might be, they all seem rather hungry and today with the sun finally out, they were eating seeds from the black-eyed susans, which has also lost all of its summer yellow petals.
Eating Seed Heads
The snow storm sure moved in quickly as only a few small flakes were coming down when I filled the bird feeders. But twenty minutes later, the snow was coming down rather heavy and plastered snow over the bird feeder covering the seed tray. The one chickadee looked confused why the seed disappeared so I know once it stops snowing, I will have to remove that white stuff.
Seed Lost in the Snow
The chickadees seemed extra cheery this morning and I suppose it was because the sun made a brief appearance. Although the steady flow of chickadees stocking up at the feeder all day has me wondering if they know about the colder temperatures coming again.
Chickadees Stocking Up
The last couple of days the birds have been singing more, maybe since the temperature was above freezing. But one of those singing birds was the killdeer who hasn’t headed south yet. They are one of the early birds to arrive in the spring and I wonder if they need their tails snowed on x number of times before they decide it is winter and need to leave. The saying about the robins getting snowed on three times before spring is finally here apparently isn’t the same in reverse for the killdeer as they have been snowed on more than three times and it is snowing again tonight.
Delayed Departure
Yesterday I saw a flock of bluebirds and heard them singing in the sunshine. They might have to snuggle together in a birdhouse if it drops down to 22 tonight. It is nice to see a sign of summer hanging on, but I think they should head south before the next snow arrives.
Bluebird Hanging Around
Most of the summertime birds have headed south, and others might be thinking of their departure soon after the snow. But some birds appear more noticeable in the fall after the others have left, or the migratory ones are spotted for a short time period as they pass through the area. The Yellow-rump Warbler can been see flitting around after insects but they also eat berries and nuts especially in the winter.
Yellow-rump Warbler
Another sign that winter’s return is on the horizon is the loss of more of the summer birds. The orioles have been absent for several days now, both the bright males and the young chicks making their first fight to either the Caribbean, Central America, or the northern tip of South America.
Young Oriole Set to Take Off
Some birds are rather skittish when trying to capture a photo, but some don’t mind me walking closer, like these young swallows who appear to be siblings trying to ignore each other.
Swallow Siblings
Although the temperature is above average today and too hot for me, the summer is slipping away and another sign that winter’s return is approaching. besides the maple leaves turning, is that a summertime voice is absent again. The very loud song from the tiny house wren has been missing this week and there is no sign on the little brown bird anymore. It is one of the last birds to arrive in the spring and now has abandoned its summer home already and headed south for the winter.
Wren Missing
Normally the flashes of blue flying through my yard is from the Eastern Bluebirds, but some years the less common blue from the Indigo Buntings grace the feeders.
Indigo Buntings
