Eastern Bluebirds and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
Eastern Bluebirds are among the least hidden and most flashy, colorful, active birds right now – they seem to be everywhere, all through the neighborhood. In the early mornings, several perch in the bare branches that stick up from the tops of pecan trees, facing the sun, and sing their chorry, chorry songs. Several days ago, on a warm early morning after an overnight rain, I passed many Bluebirds hawking insects in the air, almost hovering over the road and around treeetops and over grassy areas, catching insects in flight. The air was full of tiny, swarming insects. One caught in my throat, and after that I tried to keep my mouth closed, but the Bluebirds looked like they were enjoying an easy feast – or maybe it was just a snack.
As July comes to an end, with hot sunny days, broken often by afternoon thunderstorms and soaking rain, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds come and go from the feeder on our back deck all day, at least one male and three or four females or juveniles, maybe more, in constant humming, zipping, swinging motion except when perched in the limbs of the nearby oaks or resting briefly on the feeder, in uncontested moments, to sip.
An Indigo Bunting and White-eyed Vireo still sing in the Old Field, but Mockingbirds and Brown Thrashers are quiet now – or at least not singing. Cicadas sing loudly all day, and Katydids all night.