Birds at the Feeder

We are in the midst of a heat wave. It's hot and sticky and the air is stagnant and still. There are several groups of people who have my sympathy in this weather. Obviously, the people who have no air conditioning and/or who have to work outside paving or roofing. I also feel sorry for the families who have come to the "cool" mountains to camp, only to find the temperatures reaching the 90s and the rivers too low to do much tubing. I feel sorry for the kids in our many summer camps whose parents have paid several thousand dollars for them to attend camp in the mountains. And I REALLY feel sorry for the camp counselors who have to contend with these kids who are hot and perhaps a bit whiney.

As for me...well, it's not all that bad. Being retired we have the luxury of doing very little. I've been reading The Sisters, The Saga of the Mitford Family, a biography by Mary Lovell. It's quite fascinating. And I've done a little knitting. And I've done a lot of birdwatching without hiking to find the birds. Here are some of our common birds at the feeders.

There's almost always an American Goldfinch.

cAnd a Carolina Chicadee

The Towhee is rather unusual at birdfeeders, but we have one that visits almost every day.

These three seem to be getting along fairly well.

And these two little Titmice seem to be having fun dropping seeds and watching them fall. I have no idea what they are thinking.

And finally, a rather tired-looking White-breasted Nuthatch. This summer of nest building, egg laying, hatching and feeding has taken its toll.

I hope your weather is much better than mine. If not, I hope you have some leisure to just enjoy the birds and stay cool.