Winter Birds Have Arrived

Fall brings many changes to the garden. The hues of leaves change every day and the last hummingbirds and Monarch butterflies have left our area weeks ago. In their stead, the dark-eyed juncos and white-throated sparrows have arrived from Canada. All birds have one thing in common: They want to stock up on food for the upcoming winter. Besides the sunflower seeds in our hopper feeder, peanut butter is a big hit with woodpeckers this year.

I am busy photographing the birds in our yard. Recently, I have also given a talk about "Attracting Birds to Your Yard" at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. It was the first time ever that I gave an open-air talk, at the site of the future garden. Afterward I participated in a guided tour of the Appalachian woods section of the park. I learned a lot about the differences between oaks and the requirements for different native plants--not a bad way to spend a gorgeous autumn day.