Heading South

This is the time of year when the adult male hummingbirds start slowly disappearing from our garden as they head towards Mexico and Central America for the winter.  I think numbers were at their peak this past week with at least a dozen hummers including 5 or 6 adult males. Today I counted 3 males.  They are the first to go, just as they are the first to arrive each spring.  Next the adult females will leave and the last to go will be this year's young.  It is one of nature's mysteries how the youngsters know exactly where to go even when they have never been there before.  Kind of like the monarch butterflies who know exactly where in Mexico to go each winter.  

Lots of activity in the garden right now.  There are at least a half dozen tufted titmice regularly visiting the feeders along with cardinal, finches, chickadees, mourning doves, blue jays and three species of woodpeckers.  Insect life is still robust too.  For some reason this year I have a bunch of Large Milkweed Bugs in my various patches of milkweed.  The nymphs are all over the seed pods, staying in their tight little groups of varying sizes.  They are bright red which is a signal to predators that they are not good to eat so their only threat is really from other insects like assassin bugs or predatory stink bugs.  I am putting a shot in Extra of a small group of youngsters on a common milkweed pod.  If you look closely you will see that there is a lot of variation in size from minuscule to still very small.  They will destroy most of the seed pods but that doesn't concern me as I still have seeds left from last year and, besides, I have quite a lot of milkweed established in the garden.  Enough for all.

Hubs is still in a significant amount of pain if he walks much or stands for very long.  Tuesday's appointment with the ortho can't come soon enough.  He's already been out in the garage far too many times to do "just a few things" to the racecar.  Today I went out and taped a big sign to it that says "NO!".  For all the good that will do.

Jax is currently napping but he was busy guarding me this morning when I was in the garden.  Apparently I need to be guarded against squirrels, mourning doves and random things that aren't probably even there.  

I am thinking dark with almonds today.

xo
Debbi