We are losing three-and-a-half minutes every day here in the uppermost left-hand corner of the United States, just a little south of Vancouver, BC. The days are now shorter than the nights, and you can feel and see the change of season everywhere. It's October, after all, and even if there wasn't frost on these guys last night, you can bet it won't be long now. I love this time of the year. The sky seems bluer in comparison to the bright leaves, and the crisp bite in the air is exhilarating.
I've got juncos returning to my porch after being gone all summer. They must be migrating south, although some stay around all winter. Maybe this is as far south as they go. They have joined my usual goldfinches, chickadees, nuthatches, flickers, downy woodpeckers and sparrows. I'm sorry, but to me those sparrows just have no redeeming qualities. Those people who brought them over here from overseas (to control insect pests) in the 1850s couldn't have foreseen how adaptable they are, or how quickly they would crowd out native species. I end up feeding them, too, since they don't care how I feel about them and travel around in rapacious flocks.
The other day when I was filling the black-oil sunflower seed feeder, I was getting ready to hang it back up on its peg when a nuthatch landed on the feeder inches from my face. I was still holding it. He seemed to be looking right into my eyes, showing no fear or skittishness. He waited for me to say something and I told him how much I admire him. He said, "tsip tsip tsip" to me, took a sunflower seed from right under my nose and flew off. Although I don't speak nuthatch, I think he was saying thank you.
:-)
Oh, I love those little nuthatches! We have them all year round here in our garden. It's the house finches I could do without at our feeders. They are such little piggies.
ReplyDeleteAs the days grow shorter, our yard gets shadier, as the angle of the sun is lower, so finding a sunny spot outside gets harder. But everything is still lush, with many things blooming, so it is too early for much of the autumn cleanup. I guess I'll be forced to just enjoy it a while longer, especially on these beautiful blue sky days.
Very cool story. Fall coming here too, thankfully. Mid-80s this week; nites in mid-upper 60s. Some birds have finally started visiting our feeder off the back deck, squirrels too. But, the Hummingbird feeder out front, that's been there for several months now, not so much. We're told there are Hummingbirds here but we haven't seen any. Guess they're off humming someplace else.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet he was too. :) I love those little guys. I haven't seen too many of them through the summer but I could sure hear them up at the cottage throughout the season. They're little beauties. And sparrows are too.. but they're SUCH messy eaters!
ReplyDeletehe was absolutely saying thank you!!
ReplyDeleteLove your nuthatch story. In fact I love all your experiences with the birds. Your excitment is contageous. The minute we get a place where I can have a feeder you can bet I'll have one.
ReplyDeleteNow about those little LBJs (little brown jobs), are you sure they're all sparrows? Any pine siskins in the bunch?
I don't mind the sparrows but when we lived in Texas the grackles nearly drove me mad.
Nuthatches are friendly and bold. Juncos usually appear here in Ohio with our first snow of the season.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful little nuthatch story! And a very pretty pumpkin photo. Every year, for the entire month of October, our church sells pumpkins from a field (a.k.a. the pumpkin patch) next to our church building, and I have really come to appreciate the wonderful photos that can happen whenever pumpkins are around, especially when they are well mixed with people.
ReplyDeleteI also love this time of year. I have put away my summer shorts and am finally getting to wear my slightly thicker shorts.
I have no doubt he was saying thank you! What a lovely tribute to the lady that always thinks of the beautiful birds. Even the sparrows.
ReplyDeletewow. what a fascinating experience with the nuthatch...gotta love those moments...its beginning to feel more and more like fall here as well..
ReplyDeleteThat's one funny looking pumpkin! I love the nuthatch story...and truly believe that the bird was thanking you. I've been tempted to put a feeder out for the winter...but I think I'm setting up a buffet for the bird dog at my house...sweet Maggie. And then there's the bird poop issue. I have given the sparrows an apartment building in the largest pine on my property. They're better than an alarm clock in the morning. The pine is right next to the bedroom window and 4 am seems to be their morning social time.
ReplyDeleteI'd say you are correct that he was telling you Thank You !
ReplyDeleteYou've undoubtedly won over all the visiting birdies, they know a good thing when they see it, and in return you are graced with their presence and unshamed indulgences.
Great shot of the pumpkin, he's a big 'un :)
We had frost on our pumpkins last night, most unusual for the south this early into fall....
The pumpkin, the nuthatch. How beautiful. Here in Florida, if you put a pumpkin out a few days before Halloween, the poor thing gets so hot it rots.
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite time of year. This is when the Steller's Jays come and sit on my terrace and yell at me to feed them. They get very cranky if I ignore them.
ReplyDeleteFrost? On the pumpkin? Oh, please -- not yet! I do hope we get snow this year, though. Wouldn't that be wonderful? A white Christmas...! Which, by the way, is only a couple of months away...
Great post, DJan. I like that you feed all the birds whether they are on your list of favorites or not. I think you are like that through your life with all of us.
ReplyDeleteThat's a gorgeous pumpkin in your picture D-Jan. There are hardly any pumpkins on sale over here yet. I know they have grown because I've seen millions of them (literally) on TV in a big greenhouse. They must be waiting to get into the shops. Most things come later over here on account of the climate but even so, I would have thought we could have seen some in the shops by now.
ReplyDeleteI always have to speak up for the sparrows so here goes: they didn't ask to go to America anymore than the grey squirrels asked to come here. We used to have thousands of pretty red squirrels in the U.K. but now they are only found in Scotland and other out of the way places. The grey squirrels, which are bigger, have completely taken over here and it is the cause of much sadness, not because we don't like them, although a lot of people don't, but because they have crowded out the red ones.
What is the answer? Do we make welcome all the strangers? the grey squirrels from America and the American crayfish, the mink that are killing our river life, the Spanish bluebells, the Spanish ducks? or do we get rid of them?
At the risk of losing the indigenous species, we have to keep them under control. We don't have the space for all of these visitors. Perhaps in America you haven't run out of space yet, but when you do, can we have the sparrows back, please?
LOL
Blessings, Star
Sigh...such a beautiful photo, DJ, paired with one of my favorite poetic lines...
ReplyDeleteAnd I love hearing about the birds...you live in such a peaceful place...I almost envy that...So glad for you!!! Have a beautiful rest of the week...I'll be here, basking in the light of your gorgeous photo :-)) ~Janine XO
Ah fall...my favorite season...unfortunately you can't see much difference here in Florida. Well, the humidity is a little less...but it all seems the same here most of the year. We do, however, notice a rise in the "snowbirds".
ReplyDeleteTrees are starting to change colours here in Belgium, I'm going to really enjoy getting to see a technicolour Fall this year with the University hiking group! Not as impressive as your hikes (land around here's a bit flatter), but I think you'll enjoy the tales! ;o)
ReplyDeleteNot close enough to anywhere to notice the bird change... pity. We are along some migratory route I know that much.
I'm certain that's exactly what he said! How lovely.
ReplyDelete