What’s going in our yard…… and an update!
Our birds are returning – slowly, but surely. There are still times when there are no birds on the livestream, but you will also
notice the levels on the sunflower feeder and thistle feeder are slowly going down – American Goldfinches. We generally have a flock of about a dozen each winter. We do not have that many yet, but their numbers are slowly increasing. Right now, I would say we are at about five. Which is more than were here a few weeks ago. These goldfinches are now in their winter plumage – no gorgeous gold and black on the males. Males and females look almost alike – the males will sometimes have some yellow tints to their drab olive-gray feathers.
And here is a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk taking advantage of the bird bath for a drink. We are still in a drought – our small lake
is down about 2.5 feet. According to the climate website from the state of Illinois, it is predicted we will be in a drought until next summer. Red-shouldered Hawks live in open woodlands in wetter areas, but right now, the wetter woodlands in our area are dry. Our neighborhood is good habitat for them. Lots of full-grown oaks and hickories and across our small lake is a riparian (wetter) woodland which is hundreds of acres. We have had a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks right here in our cul-de-sac for the 20 years we have lived here. These hawks rarely take songbirds. Small rodents are their prey of choice. Our chubby fox squirrels need to be ever watchful! We have had a good crop of acorns and hickory nuts this year and the squirrels are thriving.
And our Dark-eyed Juncos are back! I always look for them in November. A flock arrived two days ago – a mix of males and females. I am thrilled as we did have a winter with not one Junco anywhere in our neighborhood – a sad winter for me. There is something so cheerful about watching a flock of Juncos foraging under the feeders and on our deck.
And an update on Hazel! Those of you who watch all the videos on this website (click on Videos on this website’s menu) will remember Hazel from a July 2025 video. Hazel is a cat who lives with a family who loves her in a neighborhood surrounded by woodlands. And in this neighborhood is a family of foxes – there are videos of this family also. Hazel evidently got too close to one of the kits and we are guessing the female took issue. For weeks afterwards, when let outside, Hazel immediately went on the roof of their house and stayed there. She did not venture out and about at all. Mark – who took and sent these videos to me – told me yesterday that at the end of summer, the foxes were seen less and less. Hazel has finally relaxed and as of a few weeks ago, has now come off the roof. Click here to see a video of her with a much better friend! Hazel is off the roof! If you have an outside cat, please consider putting a bell on your cat’s collar. Bird populations can be decimated by pet cats who are allowed time outside – particularly juveniles in their first year of life. The bell will give the birds a warning. And those of you who love your cats feed them quite well so there is no need for them to kill birds. Hazel is a well-loved, well fed, and healthy cat – as you can see!
I have several more blogs about our trip to Charleston and will continue them next time. Tomorrow is birdfeeder cleaning day so you will see Cleon and me at the feeders, and they will be removed for a time for me to thoroughly wash them in hot soapy water and bleach. Remember, whenever you work around feeders, wear gloves! And I will be mowing this afternoon – our mower has a mulcher so you will see a difference when I finish – the leaves will be much less apparent – at least for now. Only about half are off the trees. If you have the livestream on you will see me on the mower. You would think there would be no birds at the feeders with all this activity, but Downy Woodpeckers are bold – they do not care about we are doing. When they come to eat – especially the peanuts – they eat! So, the Downy Woodpeckers will still be there while we are working.