Early yesterday morning I saw the three hummingbirds that had were regulars in my yard. They had been feeding and resting a lot, on their favorite perch about a foot from the feeder. Nine times out of ten, I would see one of them when I looked out the kitchen window. I didn't see them today, so they must have departed yesterday. That one in particular was a regular fixture. I know he's gone, but I still find myself looking for him on his favorite perch. Can't complain because they have given me much joy this summer.
Two new, smaller arrivals showed up, so I made some fresh nectar. They also enjoy the flowers of the pineapple sage and salvias.
Walked my dog down to the Shenandoah on my neighbor's property. Seeing a Bald Eagle on a sycamore was a nice surprise. He flew off but I spotted him again on a tree on another property. I've seen them in that tree before. Couldn't help but wonder if it was one of the adults who's nest I had monitored and photographed. That was the opportunity of a lifetime.
The warblers too have departed except for an occasional straggler. I noticed a titmouse in the tree with something in it's bill. It seemed bigger than the usual caterpillar. Turned out to be a wooly bear caterpillar. The odd thing was that the Titmouse kept whacking it against the tree branch. Reminded me of the way kingfishers treat their prey before swallowing it.
