Summer Garden
Regarding the thirsty birds, we've been making sure that all four of our birdbaths are filled at all times. The crows, in particular, make this a sometimes unpleasant job, due to their preference for dropping their food into the water, and not fishing it all out. Cleaning the birdbaths thus becomes a chore, especially when the gummy bread residue clogs up the little pump we have to keep the water moving. That's just nasty.
On the other hand, I guess mid-summer is breeding time for green herons. We got a magnificent shot of one of our local males, and lo and behold, his legs were almost scarlet, rather than their usual yellow. This apparently signifies readiness to mate. And what girl wouldn't be impressed by those gams!
Given the hot temps, it's been vital to keep the garden watered, unless we want to see wilting lavender, hydrangeas, day lilies, and hosta. But we've been assiduous in keeping enough water going, so we're still enjoying the beautiful blossoms and scents of the season.
And the birds, squirrels, rabbits, and other denizens of the neighborhood are enjoying it as well.
By the feeders,
The CapeCodAlans,
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: All About Birding
Live eBirdseed.com streaming cam
eBirdseed and misc. references
By Location, Birds and Natural History Books (a global reference)
