AstroGypsies

Summer appears quickly at these latitudes, and seems to leave just as quickly once September rolls around:) We have leaves changing colour and falling already, much to do with the LDD caterpillar and moth problems, but also the long spell of heat and dry here, and heat and rain in other places. The swamps are even getting crispy! 40 km south of us it has rained almost every day-go figure-at least we are not being flooded or deluged…maybe I should bite my tongue;) Our climate has certainly had it’s share of extremes recently.

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The crisp morning air has all the juvenile hummingbirds scrambling in competition for feeders and flowers, even the lowly petunias were being poked and prodded for some nectar! The adults have already all gone, just a few 2nd years around, flexing their little hummingbird might and a ton of juveniles. Some have been molting, we’re talking hummingbird ugly but thankfully that is nearly done;) What we think are females could be males as they are practically indistinguishable at this stage of their early lives! We do know they are trying to pack on the weight through for that long trip to Mexico!

The yard birds are changing as well, a female Rose Breasted Grosbeak appeared this morning and the young blue jays are getting sassy! The Chickadees and White Breasted Nuthatches are in a frenzy to stash seeds, I keep telling them the eves troughs are a bad idea but they don’t listen;) The Hairy’s and Downy’s are becoming more vocal and I think I heard the Red-Bellied! The Goldfinch babies have finished their molt and are looking very fresh and bright, their colour fades to a much drabber shade over the winter but always a welcome splash of yellow in a pale landscape. A few juvenile Eastern Phoebes have been feasting on the plentiful grasshoppers, not just the cats chasing them! I’ve even glimpsed a warbler or two high in the maples! Always exciting to see the changing of the guard of seasons:)

These beautiful yard birds make up the bulk of our population:) Throw in a Chickadee and a Red Breasted Nuthatch and these are the guys that will be here all Winter. I nearly put the Baltimore oriole feeder away but lo and behold, I spotted one early this morning during the ritual coffee savouring event, this morning with a blanket. Believe it or not, two days ago I had sweat dripping into my eyes! I’m thinking it’s time to start making some suet up and into the freezer for the cold dark days to come…sigh…I’m never ready for that.

We’ve also gone from being devoured by deer flies to only mildly nibbled on;) I did kill a couple attempting to extract blood this morning. We are down to just a few dragonflies, the Autumn Meadowhawks are very cool as the male and female are different colours! The male is a beautiful red, the female, a stunning gold! A few Bumblebees are still out and busy, covered in pollen and the wasps are looking for Winter nourishment well. A bright Green Northern Bush Katydid spent the night on the Dahlia-wow is it ever green! A few Monarchs have fluttered by and an occasional Swallowtail but they don’t seem to stop-headed South I would guess. Will need to work on some plantings for late summer food for them next year! My monarch caterpillar disappeared, I would think he filled up some lucky birds stomach or he went somewhere to pupate(?)…

The cats are enjoying the cooler mornings, less panting, and a lot of running about after the grasshoppers, great leaps and aerial maneuvers, chasing frogs and snakes and anything that moves:) They come in after their time outside and face plant into the sofa/bed/chair back, wherever as cats do, after a meal;) kids…hahahaha!

I think the felines and I will be happier with the cooler temperatures. Not constantly seeking some kind of shade, I can actually sit in the sun and watch the world go by;) I will be back at the hummingbird feeders for this last week or so they are here. Then it will be a long wait until their return in Spring, but then, so many other creatures will wander by to amaze us! The traveling Mewberries are sure to corner another chipmunk, although the ones that have survived this Spring and Summer are now pretty savvy little guys!

So we’ll wait-amazes me how these three can actually work together when they put their mind to it;) Gives me hope;) ha! Saludos amigos-hasta pronto! I think I may wander the road to check out those late Summer flowers:)