I was just outside a bit ago, and there was a new storm brewing over head. My throat has gotten better since I last wrote, the previous post to this. Anyhow, the sky was black in patches, large patches, funny format of edge design, very flat clouds. There was blue sky visible, but not very much, but layers of higher clouds visible where black clouds were not covering the lower sky. I was moving the hens, and Frank was out there already, before me, chatting on the cellphone with someone.
So since it looked like it was going to rain again I took advantage of the cooler air with the storm overhead, and moved the hens one last time today (I had moved them earlier). I was listening to the air sounds around, and heard a great rustling sound coming from the East. I looked, and sure enough all the trees that way were swaying, the leaves being frenzy thrown too and fro on their branches. The wave moved closer and closer and suddenly it was swirling around us in our yard. Oh the wonder of a great swirly wind of fresh air. The wind movement calmed a bit, but stayed fresh and high, fast but not as swirly crazy as it first had hit.
It was a nice time, so cool and autumn like. It was late in the day, so the sun was lower (it’s amazing how much lower it is at this hour, the Summer IS going fast. It seems it was only the longest day of the year a short time ago.) I got done moving the hens and then fed them more layer feed (they appreciated that!)
I then just stood and devoured the delicious weather feelings. I had also gone inside just before and washed my hands and invited the children out to feel the windy weather. So we were all out in the yard. I heard some baby birds calling, and it sounded close.
I went over to the Maple which has a nest in it, high up in the tree. It’s so far up there … no way to see into it, even with our tall ladder (it’s not an extension ladder, it’s just a 6-foot type normal big ladder) but I watched it, and sure enough more chirping came from right up there, then a Mockingbird flew out of the nest. An adult, of course.
That nest was there long ago in the Summer. It wasn’t only just recently built. I did’t notice any activity in it at all though until now. I haven’t been in the yard much this Summer, but I have been out there some. I’ve heard chirping mockingbird babies often, even through closed windows. We hosted two successful mockingbird nests earlier in the season. I know I’ve heard other clutches of mockingbirds in the trees on the property next to us and across the street as well. So here was a newer clutch, new baby mocks high in the Maple directly across from the Maple that hosted the first Mockingbird nest of the year. That makes three nests. Impressive by our standards. We’ve not hosted one in the backyard before this year (not including the Bluebird Nest Box nestings). We had one in the front October Glory Maple the first year we installed that tree, but not since. Northern Mockingbirds are very prolificly breeding this year, at least around here they are seemingly doing more of it than in the past that I’ve gained an interest in noticing. 🙂
So it was a nice way to end the lingering windy daylight, then the rain came down in drippy little drops and felt so nice, then got heavy, so we went inside.