Hi Tweets,
For the past few weeks a pair of red breasted nuthatches have been madly raiding our feeder and flying off into the woods. They are back again within minutes and this goes on all day long. We thought they had another brood. But yesterday I closely observed where they were flying and they are stashing seeds everywhere. In lichen growing on alder trees, in our old cedar stump, and all over the area. They are so cute and make their little peeping sounds as they fly about.

The Nuthatches did have 3 broods (is this the correct term?)of chicks this year along with the Robins (many mating pair), the Song Sparrows, and the Spotted Tohees. I think the Black Headed Grosbeaks and the American Goldfinches had three broods as well, but not sure since they arrived a bit late. The Starlings definately had 3 broods but they have disappeared now and we were able to block the holes in our house that they were nesting in.

We also saw a Rufous Hummingbird in the yard yesterday. I thought they would have left by now, but one is still hanging around.

Nancy
Renton