I had to change this page to include Fall. The birds are changing along with the seasons and weather. I had to laugh at what other people consider Indian Summer to be. One lady grew up thinking and still believes it to be a week in January when the sun comes out and it gets pretty even though there is still snow on the ground. We always called that the winter thaw. Another one sees it as some time near Thanksgiving when it is starting to freeze. I had always heard that for us it was the time when the heat broke and it wasn't nearly as brutal as it had been. That the nights were down to the point of feeling chilly, upper 40s and low to mid 50s.

But this has been such an odd spring-summer-fall that it seems I had so few entries on this page. The hummingbirds are gone now. 3 days that there have been no visitors. I miss them already but knew it would be soon. There was a time about 2 weeks ago when there were none for several days and then they were back, like they were busy with the last batch of new babies. It could be. And they are always gone before the first really cold spell or freeze although they do arrive before the days warm in the spring.

We've had the usual fall invasion of black birds. LOTS of them this year and instead of moving in and then moving on, they are still here. The Blue Jays have also arrived for the winter. I heard an uncommon number of acorns falling the other day so I go out to see what I can see. Sure enough, the trees are full of black birds pulling the acorns off the trees. They were all green but by today, they had turned brown and were cracked and mostly eaten.

I looked out yesterday to see a young male woodpecker with the red spot on the back of his head. He was up and down the tree and then moved in for a drink of water. I saw a lot more of him today but need to be sure and get out to refill the water pans. It only takes one Blue Jay a minute to get in the middle of the shallow pan and flip water everywhere for his shower/bath. It is so much fun to watch. They sure have a favorite pan.

Haven't yet heard the geese moving in for the winter but I am sure it won't be long now. Just wish the Gates would fund a big pond on the back of our land and we'd call it a wildlife habitat for their geese who enjoy spending the winter here. We have the big old oak trees they love, just need some nice clean water for them to float on.

About a week ago, all the hummingbirds disappeared. I thought perhaps they were gone though the weather was still hot. But it could be an extended breeding season. Sure enough, they were soon back and drinking nectar at the feeder. I am watching them now and enjoying it even more, knowing it won't be long before they are gone, moved along for the season. Then the blue jays will show up for the winter. And the geese. Already the days and nights are cooler.

I made a note in the sightings about seeing the blackbirds last week. They did a fine job eating lots of the grasshoppers. I first saw them out in front of the shop and they would come in big groups to the water pans and drink long.

So far, the kittens are getting along with the birds just fine. They do watch them and tend to hang out at the water pans but that is just to stay cool in the heat. The big daddy cat was often seen eating rodents so I can hope that he taught the little ones. Since the mom and dad moved on to have the next litter, the 2 babies are sad and will give me long and moanful cries when I feed them in the evenings.