Downshift Musings

There was a certain serendipity when my sister-in-law gave Rich and me a membership to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology this Christmas. In fact, all the gifts from sister Nancy were bird-themed this year, and what a wonderful coincidence because my interest in birding has recently been re-ignited.

We’ve had a bird feeder for years (a present to Tristan when he was a curious pre-schooler), but I have generally been the only one interested in it. For quite a while it had been sitting empty because I got tired of making the squirrels and pigeons fat while not seeing many of the song birds that I was aiming to feed.

A few years back I documented the baby birds that hatched in our mail basket. My daughter Genevieve and I got quite a kick out of watching that momma birdie lay her eggs and then feed her young. This holiday season when I went to a local craft sale my friend Merry was selling her hand-decorated mosaic bird houses so I snatched up my favorite. Isn’t it cute? I love the little ceramic birdie on top. And now Rich doesn’t have to be upset about the mailbox being a bird nest.

The vacancy sign is up and hopefully soon we’ll have some visitors. The hole in the bird house should be just about right for the little Carolina Chickadees.

I am also keeping the bird feeder full again and have put out an additional suet feeder that I hope the Blue Jays, pigeons, grackles and squirrels can’t get. We’ve had visits from many locals including the Cardinals (my favorite – even if not rare), Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Black-crested Titmouse, Pine Siskin(?) and of course Blue Jays, House Sparrows, Pigeons and Grackles. One day a flock of Cedar Waxwings came by and ate every berry off the Possumhaw Holly, along with pooping all over the driveway.

This week I’m off to Australia to spend a few weeks with Rich in Melbourne where he is currently spending some of his sabbatical. I hope to see some fascinating things there. Maybe some new birds from down under? I should have some interesting things to post soon!