We moved home from camp on October 8, a little earlier than planned because we started having water problems. The lake level had gotten so low that our pump was being exposed as waves washed in and out around it, so rather than risk burning it out, we packed up and left. (Moving it into deeper water was not really an option because of the way our system is designed.) So it wasn't the cold or the strange lighting that drove us out after all.
Once home, one of the first things I usually do is put out my birdfeeders. But I haven't yet because there has been a bear hanging around our neighborhood. As anyone who knows me knows, I am not a fan of big scary things with teeth and claws, especially in our yard. One day in September when we were here doing outside work, we heard something big and scary shaking apples out of a tree in the woods, and I most certainly did not go and investigate. So my birds will just have to scrounge on their own for a while longer.
I did, however, clean out my birdhouses. I have five placed around the yard in hopes of attracting bluebirds. The houses are ones my father made for me quite a while ago, and they're starting to look a bit worn out. I didn't have any bluebirds this year, but I hosted a family of chickadees and a family of house wrens. We also had our familiar phoebe come back to her usual spot under the overhang above the garage door. And I think we had a pair of cardinals in the hedge in front of the house. There was a lot of coming and going there before we moved to camp.
Over at camp, we hosted another pair of phoebes in their favorite spot under the camp. Dennis was a big fan of their morning serenade, which usually started at 4:30 AM. And then, of course, there are the peregrines. While their nest isn't actually on our property, it is just a moment or two away by peregrine wingstokes. One of their favorite perches is in a pine tree next to our deck. I got to know this year's two young ones very well, and they watched me take many a dip in the lake. I am glad they never offered a critique of my kayak launching technique, but I'm sure they found it amusing, especially the sound effects. (It's a good thing that peregrines aren't parrots. I would be embarrassed to hear them repeating things they heard from me as they fly over the water.)
Though it's hard to leave the warm months behind, it's really nice to think back on the young ones who shared their beginnings with us. I wish them well wherever their migrations take them, or a pleasant winter to those who remain here in the north.
Did anyone else share their summer with baby birds?
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