I probably shouldn’t wander beyond the backyard in just the second issue of this newsletter, but that’s where my exciting moment of the week happened.
So, here goes….
We made a day-trip with my sister and brother-in-law up to Washington Island at the tip of Door County. While at the lavender farm there, my wife piped up, “Look at that little bird! Is it a hummingbird?”
With camera in hand, I turned to look. It most certainly was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird! Unfortunately, I had my huge telephoto lens attached to my camera and was too close - about 5 feet away - to take a picture. And by the time I had my phone ready, he was gone.
No, he wasn’t visiting the lavender plants. They had some other flowers blooming elsewhere in the yard.
What to Watch For This Week
So let’s make it hummers to watch for this week.
They can be tricky to spot. Mine don’t usually stay very long. Not like finches and sparrows. Years ago, we thought we weren’t getting any hummer visits, until our neighbor told us, “Oh, yeah! We see them quite often at your feeder.”
Since then, I’ve tried to keep an eye on the feeder more often. Especially if you have a hummingbird feeder, make it a special point of observation this week.
Backyard Moment
Even more quick to come and go than hummers are Black-capped Chickadees.
At least two of them have been in the area recently. But even if I have my camera focused and ready, it can still be tough to get a shot of them.
For example, here’s my most recent attempt.
I know. It’s his backside, right? Maybe next time he’ll pose face forward for the lens.
Journal Prompt
How many different bird songs can you distinguish from your backyard in the next 2 minutes? Not that you necessarily know who belongs to each call, but just how many different ones do you hear?
I bet there are more than you thought there would be.
From the Backyard Bird Tracker
In addition to the hummingbird on Washington Island, I saw a Double-crested Cormorant while on the carferry from the mainland to the island.
Now, I don’t have every species available in the Backyard Bird Tracker app yet, so I had to add this one to the list before I could record a sighting.
If something like this should happen to you while using the app, just let me know. It only takes me a few seconds to add a new bird for you.
Fenced in on Both Sides
Our next door neighbor is putting up a fence where there hasn’t been one for 30+ years. I’m fine with that. He’s doing it to keep his little one from wandering too far afield.
I wonder if it will have any effect on the visitation of the birds to my feeders.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Are there many fences where you watch your birds?