I cannot express the beauty of the summer. The lush green, the color of the flowers, the music of the birds singing as they go about their day. A few minor stories have played out in the last week or so.
A fledgling Nuthatch came to me for help. It landed on the sill by the window where I was reading. It was in trouble. Barely able to fly, completely exhausted. I gave it some sunflower seed. It quickly grabbed a seed but did not quite know how to break it up into manageable bits. It managed to eat. I don’t know what happened to the bird. I know the family of fledgling Nuthatches is no longer chasing around the yard. I don’t worry. I just do what I can at the time but do not dwell on the fate of individuals. That would be too trying
The Bluebirds have started a second brood. This time in one of the boxes in the front yard. They have moved out of the hole in the siding. I think 4 babies fledged from the earlier brood. They still hang around the yard, Watching their parents go about go about building a second nest.
The woodpeckers have been successful as well. As I write a fledgling Downey follows its Dad to the feeder by the window, It is awkward. Not a good flier yet. I am not paying attention, concentrating on writing. It squeaks and hits the window. Sure enough the feeder is empty. I wonder if that was the lesson being taught, because the parent did not do this. No it was the fledgling. The Red-bellieds have three babies. The Chickadees and Titmice have countless fledglings. It is good they have so much energy to keep up with all those hungry little birds.
A fledgling Rose-breasted Grosbeak visits. More skittish than the adults. It is uncertain about the feeder
Yesterday I had a Stebbin’s gulch walk. It was a lovely hike. The gulch was very dry, but cool lush and beautiful. We found several Black-throated Green Warblers, but no Canadas, or Blackburnians. The group was a bit too noisy to find Louisiana Waterthush. We were serenaded by a Winter Wren. Blue-headed Vireos were numerous. We found several Gray Petaltail Dragonflies. In May the gulch was dangerously and comically slippery. Yesterday it was not. In the field on the east end of the property we found an Orange Sulfur Butterfly. Yellow, orange green and aqua blue. Just beautiful. A nice walk.
In the afternoon I had the front door open. It was interesting because several birds gathered on the front porch. They were just hanging around there by the open door as I sat in the room and read.
Today I worked around the yard. Saw my first fledgling Junco of the season. A brilliant male Scarlet Tanager outside the window. Additional lilies are starting to bloom. Several colors. During the coming week they will be in full bloom.
June 30, 2007 Gray Petaltail
Not the best specimen or image. This Gray Petaltail in Stebbins Gulch was posed in a typical hanging posture. Gray Petatail is found in shaded ravines and is very tame. This one readily landed on several people.Dunking bugs in cool water slows them down so they can be photographed and does them no harm.
June 21, 2007 Solstice
The longest day of the year. For me, someone who loves the light it is bittersweet. I know that from now until December 21 the days will get shorter. This is why the first day of summer is mid-summers night. The weather today was highly variable. Rain, thunder, bands of clouds, now sun. The evening and night promise to be cool. I spent time in the yard but did not have time for a hike. While it is beautiful there is not a lot going on. The summer rhythm has settled in. The passerines are no longer moving. If there is a time of year when there is no bird migration it is this week. Soon fledglings will begin disbursing and shorebirds will begin moving . But right now, this week across the neoarctic, everything is staying put.
Lilies are starting to bloom. They are perhaps a week later in my cooler yard and without fertilizer. The large Iris are coming into full glory. I found a beautiful purple flower I need to identify. It looks like a small lily, but I have to key it out. That will have to wait for tomorrow or Saturday.
There are no obvious stories right now. Every beautiful day is like the next and things are routine. I wonder how much I will be able to write? What new observations I will be able to put into words. How many times can one describe astounding beauty with making it mundane?
Lilies are starting to bloom. They are perhaps a week later in my cooler yard and without fertilizer. The large Iris are coming into full glory. I found a beautiful purple flower I need to identify. It looks like a small lily, but I have to key it out. That will have to wait for tomorrow or Saturday.
There are no obvious stories right now. Every beautiful day is like the next and things are routine. I wonder how much I will be able to write? What new observations I will be able to put into words. How many times can one describe astounding beauty with making it mundane?
June 20, 2007 Perfection
How could a day be any more perfect? Not having to work! Still the day before the solstice is as perfect as a day can be. Clear, 80° high absolutely beautiful. I have my first hike since Saturday. No extra weight, not too far. Perhaps I have gained some wisdom. The view over the lake is gorgeous. Visibility more than 40 miles. The mottled light through the trees plays with my eyes as I walk the summit. No people today, a few birds.
Back home I cook and eat on the patio. Watch a family of Nuthatches chase each other from tree to tree. 5 birds all on one trunk. It is so very lovely. The Grosbeak sings, the Chipmunk scurries through the hostas. The shades of green and the sun to the west. As I eat my dinner of grilled fish and vegetables it cools noticeably. I must either build a fire or go inside to stay warm. This writing drives me to the latter.
Back home I cook and eat on the patio. Watch a family of Nuthatches chase each other from tree to tree. 5 birds all on one trunk. It is so very lovely. The Grosbeak sings, the Chipmunk scurries through the hostas. The shades of green and the sun to the west. As I eat my dinner of grilled fish and vegetables it cools noticeably. I must either build a fire or go inside to stay warm. This writing drives me to the latter.
June 19, 2007 “Much Needed” Rain
Thunderstorms have me stuck inside. I am glad I got the lawn cut yesterday. I am surprised at how quickly my foot is improving. A day of rest, plus traction to stretch the toe really helped. Coming home it was cool to see the thunderstorms coming over. The scud rolling over Gildersleeve mountain in the distance
Even in the rain the birds visit the feeders. I would like to get out and look around the yard, but the thunderstorms are going to last a while. While it has been dry, nothing is withering. Whenever rainfall goes below the average people say the rain is needed. They have little understanding of what normal weather is. They also have a misconception about how often soil needs to have the water replenished. Our soil was completely saturated in April into May and was still several weeks from drying out.
Once the rain lets up and am able to get outside, I realize how many fledglings are around. Chickadees, Bluebirds, Titmice, Nuthatches. No baby Juncos yet.
A section in the back yard is full of foam flowers. White, pink and deep red. It gets cool as the evening falls. Fireflies are out for the first time this year. A lovely mid summers night.
Even in the rain the birds visit the feeders. I would like to get out and look around the yard, but the thunderstorms are going to last a while. While it has been dry, nothing is withering. Whenever rainfall goes below the average people say the rain is needed. They have little understanding of what normal weather is. They also have a misconception about how often soil needs to have the water replenished. Our soil was completely saturated in April into May and was still several weeks from drying out.
Once the rain lets up and am able to get outside, I realize how many fledglings are around. Chickadees, Bluebirds, Titmice, Nuthatches. No baby Juncos yet.
A section in the back yard is full of foam flowers. White, pink and deep red. It gets cool as the evening falls. Fireflies are out for the first time this year. A lovely mid summers night.
June 18, 2007 Notably Cooler
People were complaining about the heat today. I like it hot and today felt great when I got out of work. It was 89° near the lake, 91° a few miles south. I watched the temperature on the thermometer in my car. In the past I have noted how it gets cooler as soon as I get into my neighborhood. I believe the abundance of trees and the higher elevation are the reasons. Today was no exception. On U.S. 6 it was 91° according to the car thermometer. As soon as I turned off the main road I felt it cool, by the time I got to my driveway the thermometer read 86°. I find that amazing.
Given the condition of my toe I do not want to push it. My toe is remarkably better today but still hurts. I cut my lawn and leave my activity at that.
New flower activity this week. More Iris coming in. Numerous foam flowers. All beauty
Given the condition of my toe I do not want to push it. My toe is remarkably better today but still hurts. I cut my lawn and leave my activity at that.
New flower activity this week. More Iris coming in. Numerous foam flowers. All beauty
June 17, 2007 Hobbled
Early on the hike yesterday I tripped and hyper extended my big and second toe. It hurt a bit yesterday but overnight it swelled and became obvious that I had sprained my big toe. What a silly injury! It has me hobbled today. I am at least smart enough to realize I need to rest today and not aggo the injury.
It is so beautiful. Hard to just sit around. Just watch the feeders and the yard . Nothing exceptional. I have noticed the hummingbird has some favorite roosts. I can hear the buzzing of the hummingbird’s wings at an amazing distance. 30 yards or so. We watch the Chipmunks. They are so cute. Fun to watch as the scurry to and fro. I know from bitter experience tree squirrels cannot be trusted. I wonder about ground squirrels like a Chipmunk? Are they more trustworthy?
Oh well, a few days without hiking. I would rather take a few days off than spend weeks nursing an injury like this.
It is so beautiful. Hard to just sit around. Just watch the feeders and the yard . Nothing exceptional. I have noticed the hummingbird has some favorite roosts. I can hear the buzzing of the hummingbird’s wings at an amazing distance. 30 yards or so. We watch the Chipmunks. They are so cute. Fun to watch as the scurry to and fro. I know from bitter experience tree squirrels cannot be trusted. I wonder about ground squirrels like a Chipmunk? Are they more trustworthy?
Oh well, a few days without hiking. I would rather take a few days off than spend weeks nursing an injury like this.
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