This has been a strange year. The Orioles are still coming to the feeder! We've never had them hang around for more than 2 or 3 weeks. By mid-June we expected to say goodbye until next spring, but at least two of them come to the feeder every day.

Maybe it has something to do with the crazy weather we've had this year.

In other bird news, our cats are pissing me off. A wren hatched a clutch of eggs in the rafters under our 2nd story deck. The cats watched the nest until the chicks started to fledge, then went after them. Two got away, but one made the mistake of landing on the ground and Artie got it.:(
When the Bluebirds started to fledge I put a tub of water under the nesting box to keep the cats away. Our cat Townes still got one, but I saw it and was able to get it away from her. Baby Bluebirds are very cute BTW.

There are three Orioles here every day yet. They are on their second jar of grape jelly now.:)


This is the first year that I've put out nyger (thistle) seed for the finches.
They disappeared a few weeks ago...Is that normal?