A Cardinal Moment!

All day long, the young female cardinal has pecked on my picture window in the living room.  She started early in the morning, so early that it woke me up.  I have a very large window in my front room with two little windows on each side.  I love being able to look at my beautiful surroundings without blinds, shades or curtains.  I feel that, even if I'm vacuuming, I am outside!  Well, so do birds and insects.  I have to buy those pretty vinyl clings that match the season and put them up to keep birds from hitting the windows and knocking themselves silly....it does help but usually a few times a month, I hear a crash, run outside and scoop up a dazed bird to put him or her in a little cage to keep them safe from the visiting cats until they've gained their senses again. A few times, they've released themselves in the house.  Oh, that's usually when my husband calls and one of the kids say, 'mom can't talk,  (uncontrolled giggles), she's chasing a bird with the butterfly net....yeah, in the house!'  My poor, poor husband.

Anyway, today this young female cardinal has had two courters bringing her food.  They have worked and worked to win her heart.  All she wants to do is peck at the reflection in the window.  It's become really annoying.  By lunchtime, my son asked, 'why is she still doing that? Doesn't she realize that it's a reflection?'  'I guess not', I reply, 'she's young and this is her first mating season. I'm not sure if she is trying to get in the house to build a nest or if she's upset at her reflection, maybe it will get the guy.'  My son, in frustration, said finally in the middle of the afternoon...'Good grief! Why would she sit there all day long banging her head over and over when obviously we aren't going to let her in!'

I began to think about myself....'we do the same thing, you know.' I told my son.  We want something and even when God tells us 'no' and closes the window, we still run forward and try to crash through over and over until we hurt ourselves. 'Do you think that God ever looks at us and explains to the angels that we're young and immature and can't see the big picture just like we're talking about this little bird?'  Do you ever think that God thinks, 'When are they ever going to learn? I have something so much better if they'd just turn around and look at what's behind them?'  when I said that, my son smiled....'Never thought about it that way' he said.

I began to pity the little bird after that, I began to feel sorry for her.  She was missing so much behind her because she was focused on that bird in window that she drove away her suitors and she was alone.  If she'd just turn around and focus on what she could have...but instead, she's still flying into the window over and over again.

Reminds me of someone I know.......

Birds

My husband is a birder.  He loves to identify the birds by sight and song.  I like birds but really butterflies are more interesting to me.  We do have several feeders for seed eaters and nectar drinkers throughout our yard and lots of different nesting boxes too.

His biggest fight in the summer is with the resident sparrows who try to take over every box on the property.  He has tried several ways to discourage the nasty birds with very little success.  Mostly, he traps them and disposes of their bodies in the woods.  I know it sounds cruel and gross but these birds will kill song adult birds and their babies.  They are quite abit like a noxious weed!

He has been quite successful fighting the sparrows.  We have had two nestings of bluebirds so far and one of titmice, cardinals and several wrens.  It is interesting to see the eggs become babies and the babies become youth who leave the nest.  Most of the young birds are quite ugly, kind of like middle school kids.  I know that was the most terrible looking part of my life!  Everything seemed to be growing at a different speed.  Those poor birds look about the same.  Feathers of all sorts of colors, sticking out all over the place! I'm glad that part of my life is over! Now it's just all graying and drooping!

A few weeks ago, I noticed that my hummingbirds were missing.  They were nesting and now they are back, they have brought the new teens with them.  I thought one had the mange the other day but I realized that it just hadn't developed the colors of an adult.  It is fun to watch them interact with their parents.  Sometimes the parent will still feed the child but mostly, the parent is trying to get the kid to do something on his own. 

I can't remember if I'm writing about the birds or my own children! Sounds a bit like parenting teens.  I guess we're all in the same animal kingdom so parenting is very similar whatever animal you are. 

I'm looking forward to walking around tonight and checking the boxes.  It's a fun alone time with my husband. My birds will stay in the pool and wait until I bring them something to eat!

Hummingbirds

Well, I've been kept busy the last few weeks refilling my hummingbird feeders.  The scouts hit Oklahoma in mid-April and are now in full swing.  So many of their favorite flowers are not yet blooming so they really depend on the feeders from their long journey.  During the summer, I have so many flowers blooming that they don't eat much from the feeders but right now I have to keep those feeders full!  I have also spotted an Oriole so I've got my feeder out for them too.  I never have many, just a few times in the spring, I spot them trying to eat out of the hummingbird feeders so I get one out for them too.  I don't want anyone to feel left out!

My husband tells me that everything I take care of gets fat! The dog, Kate, has suddenly gotten a little portly.  The cats are a little on the heavy side too.  Everything except maybe Franklin, my leopard tortiose could stand to lose a little weight.  Maybe this spring and summer, everyone will slim down!

I've been looking and looking but I have yet to see a fat hummingbird.  They move way too fast and too much to ever be fat.  I've never worried about my weight either.  It just always seems to stay the same.  Maybe it's because I don't sit down much either! New diet plan:  the hummingbird diet.  Never sit down, eat only small amounts and beat your arms as fast as you can!  Hey, after reading some of those silly diet books, this one might be a best seller!