It's a rainy, rainy day here in the old backyard. The birds are mostly lying low. Standing on the back porch, I can discern several of them taking shelter in the shrubbery, feathers ruffled to repel the raindrops.
We had a front come through over the weekend that seems to have pushed some of the birds, especially the hummers, on their way farther south. Last week the yard was still busy with hummingbird activity, but yesterday, I could only count three as I sat in my favorite bird viewing chair in the backyard. There could well have been more around but I could only be sure of those three.
For a while, I thought that I had lost the female Rufous that I have referred to here several times, but then late in the afternoon I found her again, back at her usual perches. The two other birds were Ruby-throats, but I'm not entirely sure if they were females or juveniles. They definitely weren't adult males.
The rain is most welcome, but it doesn't make for good birding. It's a day for curling up with a good book. Maybe tomorrow will be one for the birds.
Showing posts with label rain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rain. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Rain birds
It's been a soggy, soggy week here so far. My yard has gotten over ten inches of rain and the ground is well saturated.
The few times that I've been outside during this weather, the birds have been quiet, mostly sticking to the cover of the leaves. Late this afternoon after the rains stopped - at least for awhile - and the sun came out briefly, I saw American Robins running around the front yard, probably searching for earthworms. The heavy rains often flush them to the top of the ground and sometimes drown them, creating an easy meal for the birds.
A little later, as I was working in my study, I looked out the window to see a Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on the shrimp plant blooms there. A bird's gotta eat, come rain or come shine!
A year ago during our terrible drought, the birds and I would have welcomed a spell of weather like this, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Now, I think both the rain birds and I are ready for some sunshine.
The few times that I've been outside during this weather, the birds have been quiet, mostly sticking to the cover of the leaves. Late this afternoon after the rains stopped - at least for awhile - and the sun came out briefly, I saw American Robins running around the front yard, probably searching for earthworms. The heavy rains often flush them to the top of the ground and sometimes drown them, creating an easy meal for the birds.
A little later, as I was working in my study, I looked out the window to see a Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on the shrimp plant blooms there. A bird's gotta eat, come rain or come shine!
A year ago during our terrible drought, the birds and I would have welcomed a spell of weather like this, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Now, I think both the rain birds and I are ready for some sunshine.
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