Saturday, September 5, 2009

September 5: Saturday Morning, and the birds are here!


Zeus and I are out on the deck because it was just too lovely to stay inside, and the birds are all over the little cheesy feeder I filled with sunflower seeds and cracked corn last week. There are at least two small nuthatches (maybe "yearlings", aka hatched this spring?) and a clutch of chickadees, also pretty small, but I haven't seen a lot of goldfinches for a few years, since we thinned out the trees around the house. Maybe I'll try thistle seed in one of the feeders, since the finches really like that. We might put feeders on the outside posts of the deck as well, which would make it easier to see the action from inside the house (it's chilly out here even with a fleece vest on!) and might allow more experimentation with less squirrel interference. I do love the way the birds aren't visible at first, but then you realize, if you take the time, that the trees are alive with them, and they come swooping out and really aren't even very timid: I just had a nice face-to-face with Small Nuthatch, and, far from being afraid, s/he looked like s/he planned to take a sip of my coffee!

The sun is just pouring down on the tops of the trees, and the leaves are glossy and green, rustling and shining in the wind. It's definitely not summer anymore, but it's due to be a lovely day, and even though I worry about H1N1 and teaching a good class and helicopter parents and no time to myself. . . . I think it will be a good year. And I love a sunny Saturday morning!

No comments: