As of 4/22/07. See that one little blue spot all the way up in New Hampshire? Get those feeders out. The Hummingbirds have traveled a LONG way to get here.
- There were a few spring firsts this weekend. Friday night, the peepers started singing. Nothing, NOTHING, says spring to me like the sound of the peepers. I made sure to put a screen in the bedroom window before I went to bed. That is a song to serenade me to sleep. One spring, some friends that live in the city came to visit. They remarked that the country was far too noisy for them. How could anyone possibly sleep with all the racket going on. (See Marcy, here’s another example…There IS an ass for every seat.)
- Saturday, the black flies came out in force. I got my first bite of the season. As Cyndy pointed out, I should not call them bastards..they are the bitches. True. Also true that they need this blood meal to reproduce. There is some salt to rub into a wound.
- The male cardinal changed his song. Was he calling his lady or letting all know that he was fully in charge of this territory. Wish I knew. I can see the happy couple in the spruce as I write.
Comments
24 responses to “they are coming”
I noticed the peepers myself for the first time this weekend. Thanks for the reminder to get the hummer feeder out! I always forget until I see them whizzing around my sweet peas but they arrive long before I’ve got blooming sweet peas. I keep thinking I’ll get around to learning some of the more common bird songs but I haven’t yet. I heard someone different in my yard this morning but I’ve got no clue who- only that he’s different from my usual crew.
Thanks for the reminder, I lost track with the storm and all. More bits of BL were washed this weekend as well.
I couldn’t agree more about the peepers being the first REAL sign of spring. We’ve had them for a couple of weeks now but I never get tired of their song.
A few peepers started to sing before vacation and returned to a chorus over the weekend. I also love to sleep with my windows open so I can be lulled to sleep by them and wake up to the cachyphony of spring birds.
I usually see my hummers when my foxglove and bee-balm blooms. Last year one buzzed me in the face several times- noisy little buggers. Looking forward to the return of the Baltimore Orioles- I’ve had a couple nesting in my yard 2 years in a row. I love their “lilty” song. Need to hang out pieces of red yarn so I can spot their nest better.
Since I don’t have peepers here (and loved them at the farm) and don’t have hummers here (and ditto) and don’t have Scissortail Flycatchers… my first signs of spring are the return of the swallows and the Western Kingbirds. And the kingfishers. Tho I have a grackle building a nest of waste yarn in my ash tree. That’s a first.
I’m not sure what kind of birds we have around here (besides the pigeons) but they were CRAZY this weekend! They didn’t stop for a second. It was almost midnight last night and they were still singing.
This year our winter was so funky that the hummers never actually left. They seem to have survived that brief snow okay.
Awesome…I’m right at this moment trying to capture a finch that is making trip with his beak full for his nest! Spring is starting 🙂
I can’t believe I forgot to tell you, but we saw our first hummers the day before Easter. There might have been scouts before then, but those were the first we saw. They’re out there now every day, doing their “red baron imitations”. 😉
…the warblers are moving in, so the hummers cannot be far behind!
I’m just getting ready to hang my new feeder right now! I saw a tip online for hanging a feeder on an unbended coat hanger, with one of the “arms” bent out horizontal. Apparently the wire is just the right size for hummingbird feet, and it encourages them to perch so you can get a longer look.
I love birdsongs! My favorite “noise” in the whole world!
I’m afraid it’s going to be a bad year for insects. We spent the weekend in the woods and I saw more ticks than I’ve ever seen, even on longer trips in the heat of summer! Gnats and flies were out too, but thankfully, no mosquitos yet.
As soon as I have time for another hobby, I’m taking up bird watching.
Actually, I already do a lot of bird watching, I just don’t know what I’m looking at or listening to!
Didn’t know what kind of creatures peepers were, but now I know (blush) Sorry, I’m a foreigner 🙂 And I agree, nothing as good as a loud frog concert to fall asleep at.
An ass for every seat. So good.
Sadly, I can´t hear peepers from my house. Love peepers!
Is spring continuing to spring? Must be so exciting…
I’ll be learning about all sorts of new birds, but not hummers. I’ll be living near Cathy/catena.
I can’t wait to be driving down the road in the early evening, at dusk, and hear the faint sounds. I’ll roll down my window (push the damn button, actually) and listen and smile.
I’m planting salvia on the deck for the hummers again this year. We had more last year than ever with salvias in residence.
I think hummingbirds eat blackflies, don’t they? 🙂
Yes, our peepers kicked in about two nights ago. How something so small can be so loud remains a mystery, but a very pleasant one.
My niece thinks I am crazy because I won’t let her kill spiders. She hates them, truthfully I’m not big on them either, but they eat mosquitos, blackflies and no-see-ums so they can live. Outside though, inside they are fair game.
Our peepers started singing the other night so I have hope that the frosts won’t last much longer.
While out for the early morning walk in the rain and listening to the chorus of birdsong, I suddenly realized that blending into the music was a peeper’s loud call. Waking up before dawn to birdsong blending makes for a cheerful start to the day. 🙂
While out for the early morning walk in the rain and listening to the chorus of birdsong, I suddenly realized that blending into the music was a peeper’s loud call. Waking up before dawn to birdsong blending makes for a cheerful start to the day. 🙂
Sorry for the double posting! It hadn’t appeared to go through the first time.