Ooh, those blasted wasps!
Having mentioned the Baltimore Oriole previously, I felt that I should at least provide a picture of it, which I am now able to do. It has tried very gamely a few times to get some of the sugar water from our Hummingbird feeder, as has the poor female Hummingbird, but the plethora of wasps that we seem to be inundated with this year are defeating them both! What numbers they seem to be able to conjure up, and with such ravenous appetites too!
They are cleaning out my feeder in less than a day ‑ the blighters! It’s quite the battle for everything, including us, when they are being so prolific, but more so for the birds who have to brave them face to face. I can’t imagine anything more unsettling than trying to poke my tongue into a hole, where there might be two or three stinging beasts, in a not too good humour, lurking. Ouch!
Meanwhile, whilst the sugar water drinkers try and cope, or not, the other birds continue to arrive and feed on the nuts and the niger seed. Most of them are not in the immediate vicinity of the wasps so can happily go about their normal feeding activities without any undue stress being added to their day. I hope that they are not giving you all too much stress either as you still try to enjoy the last few remaining days of summer for your “al fresco” activities, whilst you still can.
Stay safe and well,
Cheers,
John Baldwin
