The Migrants

I've been seeing a bunch of new birds and recently found out why. They're migrants, here for winter only! Most notably, the precious-sounding Red-breasted Nuthatch and the White-throated Sparrow. I'm really gonna miss 'em when the time comes for them to go back "home." I'm not sure of any other migrants that I currently feed, but it's still only late fall now, so there still might be more to come. It's always nice to see new birds around, but I'll sure miss 'em...

As for the birds that have left their "home" here, I only know of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Boy, do I miss that one or two that hung around the house all day in the summer, and I even accidentally caught "her" sleeping in a small birdhouse in the morning. I went to move it or look in it and it poked her head up at me. I left it alone then, but was still pretty excited there was a bird in there. It eventually left in mid-to-late-summer, but I didn't know why. Later, I found out that it migrants South for the winter, like some or a lot of birds and animals do. I still remember some of it's favorite spots to perch on on the little tree in the front.

I've just discovered a few minutes ago the migrant White-throated Sparrow, when the sun went down, sleeping and nesting in a small tree on a branch, not in an actual nest, even though I have two empty birdhouses less than a foot away from this sleeping bird. Hm, interesting. This might be the one of the first birds confirmed to be nesting and sleeping near my house! Exciting! Bird nests are still new for me since I haven't been through a full spring yet where all the birds make nests for them and their young since I got into my bird hobby. I know there must be other birds nesting nearby, but I just can't find them yet, or they must have a nest nearby in another yard or in the forest, like the two or three Northern Cardinals and the Blue Jays. I can always hear them coming in the morning from the forest, doing their morning calls and songs. I'm wondering where the Carolina Wren is nesting. It must be nearby, because I see it quite often and I think I've seen it go under my deck after getting a peanut from the feeder. Not sure if there's a nest under there or not. I guess we'll find out.