22th Pennsylvania Annual Migration Count (PAMC)---May 11, 2013
More info, forms and all county compilers can be found on this website: http://www.pabirds.org/pamc/index.html
This count is SO much easier to do than the Christmas Bird Count! You choose to count birds wherever you want to go, then report your results to that county
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Black and Yellow Argiope: Pronunciation: Ar-GUY-oh-pee
There seem to be many more of these around this year than I have noticed before. The large black and yellow spiders in the webs are females.
Female body length is
To prevent late blight, you can do preventive spraying with a product that contains chlorothalonil. I buy mine at a local feed store that has a convenient drive through. Other feed stores and garden supply stores should have it also.
I get the 32 ounce concentrate and mix it in a 2 gallon sprayer. I am still using up a bottle from last year. It needs to be sprayed every 7 to 10 days. Follow label instructions.
It is an Amaryllis. The flowers could be one of many colors: reds, oranges, salmons, mahogany, magenta, deep rose, Victorian pinks, white, creamy yellow, lemon-lime.
Time to put out the hummingbird feeders! These feeders need to come in at night if you have bear problems.
You can view the hummingbird migration map on the link below to see where they are. You can also enter the date when you first saw a hummingbird.
http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html#faq
I agree with Petee about getting a soil test kit and doing it. I have done it and it is really cool! They tell you what your soil is deficient in and how much of what to put on it to make it right for whatever you want to grow there.
Last year, my tomato plants were also home raised and I live a few miles outside of DuBois with no close neighbors. But, Late Blight hit me also.
The wind can carry the spores for miles! You were lucky, Lavendar!
Kip is totally right:
Late blight is most often spread by wind.
Pull the plants and have them taken away! This will decrease Late Blight from continuing to spread.
I was told that some people in DuBois already have it. Their tomato plants are totally dead. Yet, they have not removed them yet.
The last chick hatched overnight! That brings the total to a whopping 5 chicks! More than average for Peregrine Falcons!
There is great info and still pics here: http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/
You can see video hotspots of hatching and feeding: http://www.wildearth.tv/web/nav-per-campus
The hotspots are located below the chat.
This is a great thing for children and schools to watch too! There are many all over the country tuning in.
At least 3 chicks have hatched in the last 13 hours. 2 more to go at any time.
You can view the hotpots below the chat to see the first feeding and hatchings.
http://www.wildearth.tv/web/nav-per-campus?streamId=nav-per-campus
There is a chat where you can keep up with the latest news and find out more info.
There are also hotspots listed under the chat, where you can quickly view previous video highlights.
Here is more info about these Peregrines: http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/category/peregrines/