Watching For Signs Of Autumn

Steve Felts our Channel 3 Skywatcher from Murphy, NC and I are kindred spirits. Both of us share a love of the natural world, weather and photography. And now I find we both like hummingbirds. This picture is his work. A whole fleet of hummers swarming one of his feeders. (To see more of his photography check out Steve's Blog: http://lovinmountains.blogspot.com )
I have to admit the hummingbirds around my house have had to look elsewhere this summer. My feeders stayed in the garage this year, and I can't explain why. But Steve's picture has prodded me into action. This weekend I'll go out in the garage, clean out the feeders, and fill them. The nectar is still in the kitchen cupboard.
Many people think you shouldn't leave your feeders up all year. They fear the hummingbirds will be convinced to stay around and may freeze to death. But according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, that's a myth. They migrate according to daylight length not food sources. Most of them leave the area in early to mid October. But a number of them do winter in the area. I have had reports in the past from Ellijay of hummers staying there all year. Georgia DNR says 100 confirmed Rufus Hummingbirds wintered in the state last year.
As we gradually watch these creatures leave others will be moving through.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says the Monarch butterflies began moving through the state on Sept. 4th. (I saw a few Labor Day weekend in Southern Illinois and Kentucky. But I haven't seen any here yet, although you might have.) TWRA also says we'll begin to see Teal and Ospreys moving through any day now.
While I'm out in the garage getting the feeders I'll check up near the vent on the front of the garage. That's where the most reliable migration is yet to take place.
Some of you may have heard me talk about "Batman". Not the superhero. The bat that lives in the garage for several months every year.
I have several aneroid barometers in the house, some more accurate than others. I collect them because I like old weather instruments. But Batman is the most accurate instrument when it comes to gauging the seasons. Those first chilly days of Autumn are often followed by long spells of warm weather. Batman seems to know this and he'll hang out until just before it gets cold and stays cold. Then he's gone. Same is true in Spring. There are those first warm days that are often followed by bone chilling cold. But when it's warm for good, batman returns. And it's been that way for years. His accuracy is 100%. Of course his life depends on it.
Late last summer batman had a friend out there. The two were chattering at each other and crawling around the vent. I suspect it was batgirl. I'm not sure what happens to bat couples, but I was hoping there would be at least one more bat hanging around the garage. Because one Spring the warm days will return for good and batman won't. And I'll miss watching my little living barometer.