Bird Crazy
It’s early enough in the morning that this part of the world has not had time to go full on offensive. It’s me on the back stop steps, sitting in a spot of sun with cuppa joe, puppies all around, birds in chorus…each with a special song.
(I am reminded of the lament I have carried for so many years, that I’ve never had a flying dream.)
When I see the Song Sparrow this time of year, I look for the Baby Hueys – the orphaned Brown Headed Cow Bird babies. Taxi Man and Cowie Mama have not been spotted in a few days. Perhaps they have moved on to follow the Bison (instinct is so strong), though I thought they stuck around longer last year. But, the world changes year by year, even in the life of backyard birds, and what you thought was true one time is not necessarily so the next. Taxi Man and Cowie Mama are the male and female adult cow birds. They are a sight to see…he is so dark and crisp, shiny as though he just flew through the wax cycle of the car wash; and she is a subtle brown beauty with dark set eyes. They melt in my mouth.
I haven’t seen the Fannies (Red-shafted Northern Flickers) in over a week. Is it really because, as I fear, I let the suet run out? Or, are they busy with their new families. This is spring -- beautiful spring, running head on into horrible summer where I often comment that it is too hot to live. But I find shade as I sit in the yard sweating beneath my wife beater in my bare feet. I know they will return before then if I remain faithful with the suet.
“Ghosties” is what I call the Bushtits. You see movement in the trees where they have either landed or lifted off; but to actually see them, you have to go quiet where you sit or stand so that they can appear to you. Suddenly you see them in places they were not a mere moment before, and they are gone before they register behind your eyes. They are happy yet temperamental little spirits who most often fly with each other in large bands of 20 or so. All sorts of spirits live behind the house. Not so much in the front, though some one, some thing causes me from time to time to glance over my should at nothing.
(I am reminded of the lament I have carried for so many years, that I’ve never had a flying dream.)
When I see the Song Sparrow this time of year, I look for the Baby Hueys – the orphaned Brown Headed Cow Bird babies. Taxi Man and Cowie Mama have not been spotted in a few days. Perhaps they have moved on to follow the Bison (instinct is so strong), though I thought they stuck around longer last year. But, the world changes year by year, even in the life of backyard birds, and what you thought was true one time is not necessarily so the next. Taxi Man and Cowie Mama are the male and female adult cow birds. They are a sight to see…he is so dark and crisp, shiny as though he just flew through the wax cycle of the car wash; and she is a subtle brown beauty with dark set eyes. They melt in my mouth.
I haven’t seen the Fannies (Red-shafted Northern Flickers) in over a week. Is it really because, as I fear, I let the suet run out? Or, are they busy with their new families. This is spring -- beautiful spring, running head on into horrible summer where I often comment that it is too hot to live. But I find shade as I sit in the yard sweating beneath my wife beater in my bare feet. I know they will return before then if I remain faithful with the suet.
“Ghosties” is what I call the Bushtits. You see movement in the trees where they have either landed or lifted off; but to actually see them, you have to go quiet where you sit or stand so that they can appear to you. Suddenly you see them in places they were not a mere moment before, and they are gone before they register behind your eyes. They are happy yet temperamental little spirits who most often fly with each other in large bands of 20 or so. All sorts of spirits live behind the house. Not so much in the front, though some one, some thing causes me from time to time to glance over my should at nothing.
posted by Ruby Fowler at 7:30 AM
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