🚀 go-pugleaf

The leaves of the sassafras tree are changing from oxide green to
crimson and ocher.  In the side yard the last of the mums have
finally bloomed.

With the seasonal changes in flora come the seasonal changes in
fauna; specifically, the birds.  We have more jays and cardinals
now than this summer, so I suspect we are getting tourists just
passing through.  The grackles are gone, but the starlings have
increased.  I know the chipping sparrows are still around, from
their calls, but they aren't visiting my yard right now.  I think
the jays are intimidating them.  (The jays have me intimidated!
I dare not be a minute late getting their peanuts out in the
morning...what a racket they make.)

The catbird numbers seem stable (the two pair from summer, I
think).  I thought I saw a brown thrasher last week, but its
movement through the yard was too swift for me to be sure.  I
heard a phoebe in the witch hazel near the back door and "talked"
a chickadee into the dogwood at the back steps.  What a pretty
little thing, the chickadee-dee-dee-dee!

The juncos won't be here for several more weeks, but the house
finches are beginning to check out the feeder.  Time to put out
the other feeders and the suet hangers.  Bought a bag of dog food
for the crows, who have ignored me for several weeks now, for
reasons I'll probably never learn.  However, I did see them
chasing a stray tom through the yard a few days ago, screeching
and "hissing" to beat the band.

By the time I get home from work each evening, most of the birds
have quieted for the evening, but I am serenaded by them on the
weekends.  What joy!

Martha