It is starting to get darker earlier each day. The sunflowers are growing in height. The insects are peaking, and our bees will be slowing down shortly. For now the flowers are feeding the bugs, but soon enough they will be transitioning to feeding all of the birds pouring down to the south, with the later arriving seed eaters ready to feast on sunflowers right out of the garden. Is it going to be a large irruptive season for the winter finches? While it is too soon to tell for certain, some Red-breasted Nuthatches and Purple Finches seen out of place to the south in a few places late this summer may portend a productive winter to come.