May 1, 2009
The dark-eyed juncos have disappeared from the backyard until fall. Often seen well into May, the juncos probably headed for cooler climates during our recent heat wave. The pine siskins seem to have gone as well. There's plenty of action in the backyard to get excited about though, as the rose-breasted grosbeaks have returned along with catbirds, purple finches, those small white butterflies, even the little chipmunker came out of his bunker and was seen drinking at the pond just yesterday. Meanwhile, sunrise occurred in the backyard this morning at 5:59, sunset will arrive at 7:57 this evening. Having gained 17 minutes this week, we're up to 13 hours, 58 minutes of beloved sunlight each day!Backyard tip of the week: The warm, damp weather of spring brings better opportunity, and greater need, to keep bird feeders clean. A nine to one water and bleach solution will do the trick nicely. Allowing very soiled surfaces to soak will make cleaning your bird feeders even easier. Try doing one at a time so the birds can still feed during the cleaning process. You and your backyard birds are sure to love it!
Backyard sightings for last week: Including northern cardinals, rose-breasted grosbeaks, chipping sparrows, song sparrows, and still a few white-throated sparrows. American robins, Carolina wrens, bluebirds, catbirds, mockingbirds. House finches, purple finches, eastern goldfinches. The elusive hairy woodpecker, red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, the tufted titmice, Carolina chickadees, blue-jays, mourning doves, American crows, European starlings, common grackles, red-winged blackbirds, grey squirrels, red squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, and a red-tailed hawk that slammed itself into the bedroom window yesterday while trying to catch its prey!
Cool sightings of the week: Most of last week's budding trees and bushes are filling out beautifully with their bright colored spring leaves. The evergreen trees and shrubs are pushing out new needles. The apple and pear trees are in bloom near the meadow. And, as if by some miracle, the volunteer pear tree that I noticed in the front yard for the first time just last year has bloomed magnificently during this past week. The pear tree's exquisite beauty was short lived however and by Wednesday the driveway was covered with it's tiny flower petals. It was very cool!
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