Bees, Bee Balm, and Heat
Well, so much for the hummingbirds... This was the wife's second day trying to get a video of them, and this was the result...
Great shots of bees if you're looking for bees, but not so much if you want hummingbirds. Next time, she threatens to stand guard at the bush with folded tripod sans camera and whack the little buggers should they actually show up. (Just kidding, just kidding... Geez Louise, can't a soul blow or a little steam from time to time?)
And blowing off steam is a good idea indeed... Today reached about 96 F, and even now (1:43 AM) it's 86 degrees in the house... A couple of random thoughts... First, if you really want to know the "heat index", look at a crow's beak. If the animal is panting, it's hot out. The more gaping the beak, the nastier it is. (Crows like dogs shed heat via panting.) Your weather forecaster is probably trying to guesstimate within a local radius of 15 miles and a time frame of two hours; the crow outside your window is telling you what it's like right now within inches of your front door. Crows may be many things, but they aren't liars... And in our second random-thought-but-related-to-the-heat department... Don't forget that there's a fantastic free manual online that discusses virtually every type of disaster that a person might encounter including heat waves. We'd say that that rascal is a "must have"...
Hot and tired, but will still see you by the feeders...
CapeCodAlan
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: All About Birding
Comments
Hi CCA,
In addition to your description of "panting", I've found that birds will also spread their wings over their bodies, and tail feathers tilted toward the sun, and turn their heads sideways for a few minutes. I'm sure this helps them cool down. This occurs with all the species in my yard.
Cheers,
Harry "Gipper" Morris
Posted by: Harry "Gipper" Morris | July 8, 2010 1:19 PM
Thanks Harry... I did not know this...
Lately we've been noticing fledglings ruffle their wings when they want to be fed.
CapeCodAlan
Posted by: CapeCodAlan
|
July 8, 2010 11:47 PM
Good morning CCA,
I noticed the wing ruffling of the oriole in your video. Its particularly a characteristic of Grackles in my yard. Also, I've observed Boat-Tail Grackles feeding fledgling Common Grackles, and one fledgling feed another fledgling. I thought that was pretty interesting.
This morning, I saw a Blue Jay gathering sticks for a nest. Don't know whether it was building a new nest or just remodeling. And, some of the Doves are still sending out mating calls. Maybe, the season's not over yet.
Cheers,
Harry "Gipper" Morris
Posted by: Harry "Gipper" Morris | July 11, 2010 8:52 AM
Hi Harry,
Thanks for the observations. Yesterday, one of our crows seemed to be complaining for lack of food. As I passed the window, it looked like he (she?) spotted me, ruffled his feathers, and then raised one foot... Weird.
CCA
Posted by: CapeCodAlan
|
July 11, 2010 11:36 AM
Well, when we start talking to our birds and they start talking back, and we know what each is saying, I think we are both in deep trouble. LOL.
Cheers,
Harry "Gipper" Morris
Posted by: Harry "Gipper" Morris | July 11, 2010 2:53 PM