Summer time...and the cotton is "flying"

Yup! It's that time again. During the weekend of May 20-22 we had a record hot spell of temps in the high 90s. This past weekend we were in the mid-80s. But that spell of hot weather was enough to make the "tatonie" berries on the Cottonwood tree start popping, spreading their lovely cotton contents. If the weather gets cool that will usually slow down the process but then it prolongs the "cotton season" too. So, now the birds will have soft cotton to line their nests. I have seen some House Sparrows or House Finches actually eating the seeds in the cotton fluff on the tree but they can't eat enough of it to make a difference.

Well, we cleaned out the chicken nests about 3 weeks ago to stop their brooding. Chicken Little has be out of hers for a week or so and is back to sleeping in the wisteria vine around the gate. Her nest was in a patch of the weeds in the back yard. A couple days after she left it, we cut down the patch. The whole city/county is fighting a terrible war on an explosion of weeds this year, probably due to all the rain we got earlier. Anyway, Mazey made her nest in a corner of the patio, under the trumpet vine. She is still in there and we can't figure out why. Unless it is just cooler there. She does come out for food in the afternoon. Oh well.

As for bird news, we really don't have anything new to report this time. Maybe next time. Adios!

P.S. -- I got the website working correctly now. Please check it out if you get a chance: Rancho Colibri. I'd like to know what you think of it, too. Make your comments here. Thanks.