Bats in the bedroom? Flickers in the gutter?

7 Gentle Ways to Use a Broom in Spring in the current issue of Orion Magazine tells how to deal with both, plus a few other unwanted visitors.

Female Ladder-Backed Woodpecker
Photo Credit: Dave Betzler

At my house this week we have woodpeckers at the back patio and eagles in the kitchen via a live feed from Decorah, Iowa.  The third egg hatched last week and the adults are allowing the eaglets, especially the oldest one, a little more time out in the sunshine, but it will still be weeks before they are ready to try their wings.

Today I spotted my first hummingbird of the season at my nectar feeder. According to  Anne Schmauss, in this article in the New Mexican, they arrived right on schedule.  She provides all of the information you need to attract hummers to your backyard.

On a  more serious note there has been lots of news coming out of California the last few days about the ongoing drought and  new restrictions on water use. Drought Tests History of Endless Growth in The New York Times is an in-depth look at the challenges the state faces.

And finally, in celebration of spring and National Poetry Month, a recitation by Tom O’Bedlam of Daffodils by William Wordsworth.

Enjoy your week and let me know if you have seen any hummingbirds in your neighborhood!