I think winter might be long this year. I haven't even SEEN a wooly bear caterpiller. But the birds are gone already. Bob, my snowy egret, who isn't even supposed to be IN Wisconsin, was the first to leave. Even though the mosquitoes are still here in swarms, the swallows left. The geese must be over in the Horicon Marsh cuz they aren't around here. No flocking of starlings, morning doves....even the crows are dwindling. We had some cute little birds called tufted titmice here this year but they left. I had a pasture full of wild sun flowers that is starting to look a bit faded. It is only mid September!
The hummingbirds will be leaving here in a couple of weeks. I'll miss them. Most of the other birds stay around here in the south, though.
The robins, starlings and blackbirds are gone here. Good riddance. They are noisy and messy and make life uncomfortable for the more desirable birds. In a while I’ll be feeding the juncos and cardinals in the backyard. Northern mockingbirds will be around more too. I like their song. I saw a Carolina wren and I believe it’s mate too in the yard this summer for the first time. I heard that with the climate warming, some birds are expanding their range northward.
Warming? In north Alabama, this has been our coolest summer in many years and like @Mary Stetler, I think it’s going to be a cold winter to boot. All of the stuff Yvonne planted went into overdrive because of all the heavy rainfall we’ve had and some are still blossoming out but still, even the geese were flying south toward the end of last month and the hawks are getting pretty bold lately. I do enjoy sitting on my porch and watching the squirrels do their thing but whether it’s the hawks or a suspected major weather change, I haven’t seen even one yet today so they have to be huddled up early.
Record-breaking warm and dry summer here. Cooling this week, but no frost predicted till Oct. The crows are dwindling because of the West Nile virus killing them. The finches are back since the crows and ravens don't chase them off. No geese flying yet. Geese that once flew south for the winter, have been year-round here, wintering near the river. They have done this for several years now. They still fly in their V as if they are leaving, but return before they hit the mountains. They do this daily starting late Sept. and continue it till it gets below freezing. Sometimes on a warm winter day, they make their daily round trip. I find this fascinating that even though they don't leave, they keep trained and exercised. They don't allow the young birds to become slackers and forget tradition.
sounds like you have a great variety of birds to watch...and when they're gone....yes ...you miss them
We now have resident geese here too but there are still flocks heading south before winter also. The resident geese have become sort of borderline pests at the state park with them leaving their droppings along the shore. Have to watch your step.
It appears the ducks hand cranes have left, but the swans, always the last to migrate are still here and will probably stay until ice begins to form. Winter is predicted to begin this weekend, with temps in the 20s F. We closed down our big greenhouse today and finished redoing the orchard fences for winter.
Here in Sweden many of the bird are now getting ready for winter migration. The Canada, barnacle, gray and pinkfooted geese are fattening themselves up before leaving for northern Germany and Holland. The swallows and swifts have already left for their long flight south across Europe to north Africa, the pied wagtails are starting their long journey to Egypt and the Middle East and the black and white flycatchers have left for their winter home in tropical Africa south of the Sahara desert. I think it’s amazing how tiny birds that weigh less than half an ounce can fly thousands of miles from their summer breeding grounds here in Sweden south across Europe and down to their winter homes in Africa and the Middle East.
Same down here in Florida, haven't seen the Monarch on our silkweed since last year[ remember what Einstein said about the Monarch]. We just saw two baby Doves 20 minutes ago in the grenhouse which is wide open no walls.They are so cute when they walk,looks like they have wheels instead of legs. Most of the wildlife here is gone along with no butterflys much at all. We had all kinds, But we did hear geese flying south yesterdaybut only crows are the ones we fed for last 8 or 10 years,Prety Bird and her 3 familiy members. We use to hve a huge flock flying around n-hood a couple years ago.
Amazing just went out on porch and the flock of crows are back~ offin a distance we hear them .So glad,bet we'er the only ones
Weird here.........with temps being in the upper 90's part of the summer, there are those here that can't wait for our winter and snow to start. And, they don't snow ski. Guess they've just had enough of the heat we've had.
We are a bunch of whiners here. All last winter everyone was complaining about the cold. (there were a couple of waaaaay below zero weeks where someone had to stoke to stove all night, though) Then we got our two weeks of spring and everyone was complaining about the heat. Last few weeks it was the mosquitoes and now it is almost too cold again. I LOVE this weather as it is great for working in. I have a mosquito shirt but if the wind keeps up one does not even need it. And we can always put on a JACKET. I worry about using a cane, a bit on ice, this winter. I have hiking sticks with barium tips but I don't want to end up on my back like a turtle.