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Summer Residents



As I suspected, the winter residents knew there would be a few days of
COLD left here in the mountains.  30* yesterday morning with a high of
40* and 20* this a.m. but a high of 48* this afternoon found the w.t.
sparrows, juncos, and siskins glad they hadn't left the luxury of my
feeders just yet.  Would expect to see them disappearing soon with the
nice weather coming back starting tomorrow.

My male r.b. grosbeak arrived two days ago.  The house wren is irritated
by the chickadees that have set up housekeeping in what has been "his
house".  He is searching the back yard for suitable digs.  The finches
have 4 eggs in the basket at the other end of the porch so are happy.
There was 1/2 in. skim of ice on the top of the hummer food this
morning, but the hummers were madly drinking along with a male house
finch, who thinks he is part hummer.  I couldn't figure out what the
silhouette of a small modo was on the feeder until I realized it was the
catbird (who must have arrived overnight or late yesterday) puffed up to
twice his size, looking every so rotund.  Only saw the hooded warbler
once in the side woods, but once is enough, isn't it. And, thankfully, a
female towhee has arrived.  My resident male lost his "wife" last fall,
so I'm hoping he finds this newcomer very much to his liking, and vice
versa.  He's been so gallant alone all winter!!!   Hopefully, things
will really start moving now with warmer weather again.  The dogwoods
are beautiful...

Connie Ward
Maggie Valley, NC
cward@haywood.main.nc.us