I was pretty surprised to see a thrush in the back yard this afternoon. I've seen a late hermit thrush another year, but I thought it was a real anomaly then. Now, reading the board I see I'm not the only one with a straggler.
Naturally I was very pleased. One of the juncos was not & gave chase--never knew they did that.
The hawks (Coopers) are still around--two of them roosting at dawn earlier this week. I think a male & female. The female (if it is) roosts longer. She also gives a territorial nesting call, little late in the year for that I'd think but what do I know. They've been around all migration season. The time they sit out in the early morning sun has been getting shorter & shorter as the days cool.
The juncos perch on the fence & from there they can reach the big seed crop of the new york aster. My one and only white-throated sparrow did the same on October 22--used to have flocks of those every spring & fall.
I don't see the blue jays but I hear them. Same with the nuthatch. Hairy woodpeckers seem to have moved on.
I saw my first white-footed mouse on Tuesday. I'm probably supposed to panic about getting hantavirus & Lyme's disease, but I prefer to think I've made a nice understorey.
I got rid of the support for the feeder in the spring, so the birds will just have to manage on the seeds of the native plants I've been growing for them.
