h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's time to fill the bird feeders. The s are knocking on the window and threatening me.

The hummingbird feeders are in place, but I haven't seen a hummer yet. The honeysuckle is blooming so they should show up soon.

I haven't seen one yet either. They're fun to watch. Do you have rain again? We are supposed to have another front moving in this afternoon.

No, we didn't get anymore rain and it looks like whatever falls in KS will be east of us.

All the rest of the feeders are filled now and I got another raised flower bed weeded.

Bro brought up the shop vac and cleaned both vehicles out. He is now working on the ceiling fans. I plan to relax awhile and then work on the raised bed on the south.

We are under a severe thunderstorm watch again. Tornado watch in east Kansas, so that's on the way.

I see by the weather map that we've got an ominous orange blob in the Texas Panhandle... Not sure what that means, but it looks swirly.

Did you guys experience any weird weather yesterday? Some winds tore through here and took down several trees and power lines.

Lentilla, we haven't had anything ominous here in central KS for the past couple of days--or at least not where we are. About 25 miles east of us, there were some power outages due to lightning strikes and wind, but so far we are ok.
The severe weather watch has passed us for the time being, but unfortunately it is in the eastern KS/western MO area and Hyp doesn't have a basement. We do and have a bedroom down there so if there is a storm predicted during the night, we just retire to the basement bedroom.

We've had hummingbirds for about six weeks now, and the mockingbirds and vultures arrived last week. We noticed the vultures riding thermals when we went out to eat on Saturday evening -- Cille tells me they winter in Mexico. I guess if you're a vulture you have to go where the carrion is soft.

*imagines people putting up vulture feeders in their back yards*

Lil, I think I'll pass on the vulture feeders. We have buzzards here year 'round. We have no buzzard feeders back there either.

Thunderstorms again last night. Nothing severe though. Gus came in to spend the night. Storms frighten him.

Our hummers haven't shown up yet, but maybe I just have't seen them.
We have honeysuckle in bloom all the way around the yard so they don't really need the feeders.

Hummers are here! They are coming to the feeders by the house regularly now. It's time to change the nectar again. That will be on my todo list for this evening.

I need to clean up my feeders and get them filled.

How do you keep the ants out of them?

I don't worry about the ants. They are protein, aren't they???
Actually I try to change them every three days or so.
I don't stress over squirrels on my regular feeders either. Our squirrels have their own feeder and when it's empty, all the others are fair game.

You cn spray the chain or wire that holds the feeder with ant spray. And the bits that the birds won't ever contact, like the bottom. Don't tell Amy!

I'm surprised by the notion that you feed birds during the spring/summer. I only do it through wintertime. I have a on eggs right above my window under the cane roof. Soon I'll hear the racket from the hatched birds , I expect. A noisy lot they usually are.

I feed the birds throughout the year. I have three feeders hanging outside my window. They are so close I can see detail on the birds' feathers. We have a variety of birds who use the feeders everyday including cardinals, mourning doves, house finches, American goldfinches, and a downy woodpecker. By keeping seed in these feeders, I can get up close and personal with my birds.
I have even been able to photograph them from my window, but the window has screen on it that shows up in the photos.

Sounds fine and entertaining. I love watching birds as well during the winter when I feed them.

I think I was told when young that if one feeds the birds at times when there is enough food for them to find, they get dependant on the feeders and cannot survive by themselves - if one should forget, go on holiday, or stop feeding for other reasons. And - I was told - if you begin to feed during the winter, you have to be consistent - for the same reasons of dependency. One keeps the birds alive that would (maybe) die if left to nature's course.

I don't know whether this is a lot of rubbish. Learnings of childhood seem to stick.

I've heard that theory also. It does make sense. I have observed "my birds" fending for themselve when the feeders aren't full though, so maybe I'm not spoiling them too much.

We've had gorgeous weather here the past three days--full blown sunshine and mild temperatures.

Happy Mother's Day from Kansas.

I miss the birds of the American Northeast, the jays and cardinals and orioles and towhees. Even though there are some plenty interesting birds out here. There is something about the robin's call that catches me somewhere below the intellect -- same as ever happened with the blackbird in England.

I heard that story about birds too. I don't know how it squares with the fact that a well-fed cat is a more effective hunter than a hungry one.

Lil, we have all the birds you mentioned here, but only one variety of hummer. The only time I've seen any of the other varieties was when I visited the southwest. I was surprised at how much redder our cardinals are than the ones I saw in Arizona. We don't have magpies or green jays though.

Youngest Grandson spotted the hummers on the feeders yesterday. He was fascinated by how tiny the bird was and how fast his wings were beating. We had a "nature" lesson about the size of the eggs, nests, etc. and he related all of it to his Dad, who was duly impressed.