A big gust of wind blew in a little rain shower and this morning's sunny weather has been replaced by clouds.

I'm watching the male hummingbirds trying to guard one of the feeders, and wonder that they still bother after all these months. We have a theory that as summer ends and they leave for the south, we get visitors passing through so the resident birds have to assert their rights.



We had at least 120 birds a couple weeks ago, and now it's maybe 30. With 12 feeders out, we went through at least 5 pounds of sugar a day making the juice, and it took spent a lot of time monitoring the feeders and keeping them filled. Fortunately, there were two of us to share the work. I keep trying to retire some of the feeders for the winter, but it's difficult because the summer birds have their favored locations, and get upset if there is no feeder there. Invariably, some little bird will perch at the empty spot and can't be denied.

We've been careful to take in the bird feeders overnight since mid-July when the bear made a night-time appearance, and sounds like he has moved downstream to eat chokecherries in other neighborhoods. Fine by me: I don't want the excitement.