A View from the Yard, Wednesday, October 30

It's that time of the year I start harvesting--if that's the right word--my crop of walnuts. I have three trees in the yard; two of which are mature enough to produce nuts.

There are a variety of uses for walnuts and I would take them to such a recycler if I knew of one. I have found that I can just use the sharp shovel or pick 'em up four at a time and about half-fill a sunflower seed bag. (I keep those empties just for this reason.) Too full and the bag gets too heavy. I am usually dismayed that I have so many bagged and so many still to go. And, of course, the two trees that fruit are not next to each other so I have nuts scattered all over the yard.

It's quiet out here in the evening. The wrens have abandoned for the fall their traditional houses in favor of the metal awning on the back porch. I keep spooking them when I go downstairs. They flee for a while and have returned each time but I suspect there will be a point when enough alarms will simply drive them off. The crows have been noisy. A few jays are around. No sign of the songbirds. I suspect the cardinals, titmouse, and doves are all hunkered down in the trees.

James Brooks, in Wednesday's paper, comments on the return of the white-breasted nuthatch. These delightfully entertaining birds like my trees and I look forward to seeing, and hearing, them soon.

The various evening bugs are about gone. The overnight lows are now in the upper thirties. I've put out sunflower seed and a suet block. I have some plans for various feeders to try this year. Got a book full of ideas for my birthday. Well, somebody has been eating my sunflower seed but not too quickly. I think what will pick up as the weather gets a tad colder. When I had a non-squirrel-proof feeder I went through a lot of seed. This feeder has the weight-powered ledge that blocks off the seed access to the squirrels. I'm hoping to cut down on how much seed the squirrels get.

Spring will be here before we know it. Yes!