First Week of October 2023

The last week or 10 days, it's been hot and dry during the day.  Low 90s.  Though generally very nice after dusk -- lows bouncing between 42 one morning and 61 earlier today.  

Black and Yellow Striped Garden Spider - GONE.  Her 'lunch' still there wafting in the breeze.  A sad mystery.  I saw her one afternoon with a new kill, a bee all trussed up, ready to eat. Next day the bee was still there and she was nowhere to be seen?  We miss her.  And had a dozen questions, but somehow they aren't as fun to pursue staring at an empty web.

Appeared out of thin air Sept. 7th. 
Disappeared as suddenly, Sept. 28th.

Pelted with Pods - As in other years, the Black Locust seed pods have attracted a small female Ladderback Woodpecker. Maracas! :)  Friday (the very last day of September), the pods started dropping.  A very windy day all day Sunday brought down about half -- 5 bushels so far. Update: Monday Oct. was overcast and windy again.  8 bushels picked up, probably another 2 strewn all over.

That is massive energy devoted to seed production.
Wish they were edible!

Hummingbirds - Bueno Bye!  Haven't heard them in several days?  I'm guessing they left the end of last week (roughly the last week of September).  Unexpected thing at the hummingbird feeder:  we have a plastic cup for water the feeder itself hangs on -- an ant moat.  On several occasions lately, I have spotted 2 or 3 Bushtits nearly upside down, drinking from it! :)  Not sure if they think that any stray ants are an added bonus?