This is my favorite time of year. The weather is delightfully cooler, the Monarchs are migrating, and my favorite Hummingbirds gather in my yard for several days at a time before moving on to their long migration down to the tip of Florida and then across the Gulf of Mexico.
I love watching the hummingbirds territorial disputes over the feeders, and changing from juvenile plumage into the beginnings of their adult plumage, especially when the males begin to get their red throat. It is totally amazing to me that these tiny little birds can make a 600 mile flight across and Gulf of Mexico and back again each year.
The Chickadees and Tufted Titmice are back in force after their nesting season, Carolina Wrens are much more visible, and I await with anticipation the return of the White-throated Sparrows from their Boreal breeding grounds.
I was in Lewes, DE for the weekend and observed large congregations of Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and Little Blue Herons gathered together in the marshes. It is thrilling to see a flock of 50 or more Great Blues winging their way through the almost-nighttime sky.
I love this time of year because so many species are in motion, some going away and others coming back. Migration really is a miracle of nature, played out year after year in a continual cycle.
What’s the news from your wildlife garden?
Tell us What you Want to Learn–we want to keep bringing you the best, most up-to-date information, but we need your help. Please tell us what you’d most like to learn
© 2009 – 2010, Carole Sevilla Brown. All rights reserved. This article is the property of EcosystemGardening.com If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Carole Sevilla Brown
Recent Comments