Date: 10/03/2014

Number: 1

Temperatures have dipped into the 40's at night, cool rains fall and the wind is brisk. Weeks ago the perennial blooms began to fade. The majority of the blooms on our Rose-of-Sharon have shriveled and fallen leaving only but a few straggler blooms to dot the bush. Our Sunburst Honey Locust near the patio sheds it's dainty leaves like yellow flakes of snow covering all beneath it. Quiet is the air about the patio where earlier weeks ago was heard the loud droning of a record year of hummers wings fluttering rapidly as they held still positions in the air around the five feeders waiting for an opening. And in a few short days their numbers dropped 32, 25, 12, 8,5,4,3 and then two days nothing followed by one lone straggler that relished with lingering delight the increased sweetness of fresh nectar for minutes that seemed eternal. And then in an instant she was gone. A week has passed since then but still a lone feeder hangs on that quiet patio, refreshed every two days with a slight bit sweeter ratio of nectar ..... just in case. There it shall hang for at least another two weeks. Maybe I'll miss seeing the one that stops, but my feeder won't. Later, there will be one final feeder cleaning for the season, one last outdoor smile as I look to the southern sky and recall the banner year of sightings it was for me and then as I slide the box of feeders onto their place on the shelf, I begin to plan for the next season ahead. What new bloom can I plant that they would enjoy and how long before I see them again and hear the drone of wings disturbing the air and hear their cheery chirps. I will appease my pleasure of their visit of 2014 viewing photos and video taken and smile over and over again. It was a GREAT 2014 season! Thank you all at Journey North, and thank you all down southward for fueling my crew and others as they pass your way during migration.

Kendallville, IN

Latitude: 41.5 Longitude: -85.3

Observed by: Michael
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