The hummingbirds seem to have left for the season now - I haven't seen any since just before the big rains (northeaster and Hurricane Kyle). I'll keep the feeder up for a few weeks in case a migrant hummer comes through hungry. With all the fall vegetation it's hard to see all the birds. Except of course for the turkeys which stand out in any vista. Usually the turkeys stroll into the yard, but few days ago they were all riled up, probably by neighborhood dogs, and I heard a lot of yoyking in the woods. I went out to fill the feeders and spread seed on the ground, but I couldn't see any turkeys. Until I happened to look up, and there was a big turkey perched in a pitch pine above me. It flew off into the woods and soon after the whole flock walked in for dinner. I guess they wanted to make sure food was ready before they took a chance on the ground. And on the other end of the size scale, the House Sparrows are bopping around and having pool parties. Aside from these, I have cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatches, a few Blue Jays and doves and I saw a Red-bellied Woodpecker last week. I think a hawk flew by this morning. Claire

christie_sw_mo - I had a single American holly and it berried fine, but I am not sure why. Could have been a wild male in the woods as I was not in/near a neighborhood. There were some male Clarissa hollies on the property but those should not logically pollinate it. I am crazy about hollies for birds, but it sounds like they are just one of those bad luck plants for you. I've never seen a bird eat a nandina berry. Been some discussions on the subject here, and I have not heard of anyone that has had birds eat the berries either. No clue why that plant has a rep for bird berries. There were some on this property - okay a thousand of them on this property - but I pulled them up to replace them with other known successful plants. Nandina is a major problem in south Georgia forests so I decided to forgo them completely, make room for serviceberry. One thing that has become very clear to me with the moving from established garden to re-building is to plant hedgerows, hedgerows and more hedgerows. It's a major difference in the bird populations to have thickets and safe places. Birds have been nesting here, but only cavity nesters, and the second the babies fledge the parents take them off property to cover. Very few warblers around and no ground nesters except visitors. I have always heard that the vibunum dentatum berries get eaten quickly - will have to find out how that goes. The viburnum trilobum I have is the cuttings you sent so of course they won't berry, but the dentatum should if pollinated. The Aronia arbutifolia is one I want to watch as well - I have cuttings and purchased a potted plant, but it's just getting leaves. Very late to leaf out - is this normal? By the way, goumi (Eleagnus multiflora) was always a great bird food source. Grew it for ten years, nevera single seedling. It does not germinate easily and cuttings are difficult, so apparently not invasive. I've heard of others rooting cuttings so maybe it's my area, but it's a non-native I will grow. The cuttings are doing beautifully so far. I baby them and hope I can get them to make it. It's an outstanding collection for my personal hedgerow (thank you thank you thank you) in the making. Maybe I'll get to a point where I can grow enough to share. Been working on a system for potting and moving after they root. I've had people stop by and ask for advice on their own yards and I'd looove to be able to supply some of these plants you can't find in local nurseries. These are regular people, not gardeners, who just want some landscaping and birds and they aren't going to be ordering online like we are. I have a lot to learn, particularly about native plant ID, but can share what I do know. Some neighborhood kids knocked on my door and asked to "see the baby birds" as I had mentioned to one of their Mothers that I had birds in my boxes - and the kids were impressed with "how many animals I had in my yard". Apparently they told their parents. For me it was totally out of the blue and I was delighted. I did not relize there was a native plant exchange here - I need to head over and beg cuttings. :D dragonfly_wings - I had two mulberry trees before and they were my waxwing magnets. Hundreds of waxwings descended during migration, what a beautiful sight. Great plant and I want another, but one tree seeded all to heck and back. The other was an old tree, totally different leaf and I believe native. It was there long before I was. Both were red mulberry and distinctly different as mulberry tends to be. I had no problems with seeding on the second but can't figure out what exactly the genus of tree it is that I didn't have problems with. I loved it and really want another but it's gone on the back burner due to the fact that I am not positive which to get. If I see one on the side of the road similar to the one I like, I'll be hopping out of the car and knocking on doors and making a nuisance of myself. And I am shy!!!!!! But for that plant, I'll do it.

Thanks - another first for me! Maybe because it is still quite cool here we are seeing more migrants than usual (i.e they are staying here long enough to spot them). Here are a pair of migrants 2 weeks ago at my feeders

Thanks for all the kind comments! Since these photos I was able to get a few more migration photos before the rain set in, but kept hoping I could get some more. We spent one weekend at a family reunion in IN, then worked out of town as extras in the Disney movie Secretariat during two very cold, windy weeks (long hours, miserable work, but at least I got to see John Malkovich and Diane Lane). This weekend coming up might have some sun, but I've not seen any migrants for awhile, so our migration action may be over.