Almost The End of Catbird Summer

I think that the shortest visit of any of our migrants is that of the Gray Catbird.  They show up  in April and are regularly gone in August.  They're mostly welcome---as delightfully noisy, inquistive characters---until late July.  Then they and the young of the year eat like crazy, trashing suet supplies.  Surely they are bulking up for their migration.  But, I am miffed.  Their migration isn't far.  Most of ours just head to the coast.  And so each year I grumble and stock the feeders less often.  And then they leave and I find myself regretting the absence as the days shorten and the weather chills.  I know they are ready to go.  And with it goes something of the spirit of summer.