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We’ve had a lot of rain the last two weeks, following a very dry winter. I’m hoping the garden does well this year.
May is transitioning from spring in the early days to summer at the end. Here are some of May’s happenings on the farm in Kansas.
Tree swallows show up. They nest a bit late so sometimes will take a bluebird nest box after the first clutch of bluebirds has fledged. They only have one nest a year. They share a field easily with bluebirds even though both eat insects, but tree swallows catch their food as it’s flying.
Barn swallows build nests under cover, sometimes under the eaves but if they have access to a building, such as a barn, they’ll nest there. They scoop up mud (from all that rain) then take a blade of dry grass or straw to build the nest. Usually they’ll make a half cup shape stuck onto a wall, and those fare best. If they make a full cup on a surface such as a rafter beam, the nest is more vulnerable to predators like prairie king snakes. Like tree swallows, they catch flying insects.
Orioles show up right at the beginning of May. After their long migratory flight, they load up on sugar from grape jelly and oranges for the first month, before switching to an insect diet. I used to have orchard orioles as well, but that seems to be another species that I’ve lost to climate change.
Green herons nest by my pond. The area is undisturbed so they are secure.
Great blue herons don’t nest at my pond. They nest at the river, very high up in trees, but they show up at my farm for the frogs.
What are the signs of the season where you are? This is an open thread. All topics are welcome.