Have you noticed an exceptional number of white-breasted nuthatches at your feeders this fall? If so, you’re not alone and migration is the likely reason.

We don’t typically think of white-breasted nuthatches as migratory birds. They are reliable backyard feeder birds and year-round residents, just like chickadees and tufted titmice. Do they really migrate?

I’ll get to a recent article that describes the white-breasted nuthatch’s irregular migration Continue reading →

Here’s a scary, fall-themed bird photo to kick off your Halloween.

This white-breasted nuthatch was not in a sharing mood with the surrounding tufted titmice. Click here for a recent For the Birds column regarding white-breasted nuthatches and migration.

Here’s part II of my fall feeder birds of New England post. Click here for the original post.

I love when I stumble upon these. Yellow garden spiders may look threatening, but they are harmless and not aggressive towards humans. They can bite humans but will only do so if threatened (handled, stepped on, sat on, etc.) Females are the large, colorful ones we see in gardens and fields. Males are smaller and nondescript. They are native to the U.S. and are beneficial to our landscape, if not intimidating-looking.

I know it’s not fall officially until Tuesday, but this scene certainly makes me think of fall.

I didn’t see the culprits, but I know damn well it was raccoons. The locking handle was engaged and everything. Those bast… animals are smart and persistent.

As promised, here are a few more shots of birds near my salvia blooms. Click here for the original post if you missed it.

Continue reading →

I was checking milkweed plants for monarch caterpillars and came across this instead. I’ll take it. I’ve seen a lot of Facebook posts lately featuring praying mantises. I guess it was my turn.

The best part of this iPhone photo — aside from showing a pollinator at work — is that the sunflower is a ‘volunteer’ from spilled birdseed. I have a few of them this year.