I am personally going through a lesson in Zen attention and acceptance lately. I was out of town for 6 days recently and returned last Tuesday to empty birdfeeders and a paucity of birds. The regulars are returning but activity is still a little slower than it had been prior to my trip.
The flocks of Evening Grosbeaks that had been regularly visiting are gone. My feeders that had become a good, reliable source of food had "gone dry" and they moved on. Didn't even leave a note. So I've been lackadaisical at best about posting lately.
So it was time to just stop, pay attention, and accept and be grateful for what is still going on at my feeders and in my yard:
Every morning, I put on my glasses and view Common Redpolls on the feeders off my balcony railing. Every day over the last week, I have had redpolls at my feeders, in numbers from 4 to up to 50. I get to scour those flocks for signs of a Hoary Redpoll. No luck yet, but it makes me pay closer attention.
I am still getting a daily visit from a single Pine Grosbeak. This is one very special visitor from the far north, new to my yard list last year, courtesy of the 2007-08 Winter Finch Irruption.
The winter flock of Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches, and Tufted Titmice is large and boisterous. The birds that make up this "regular" group are cheerful and always around to brighten any day.
Woodpecker activity is strong, especially late in the day. Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are regulars at my suet feeders and seed cylinder feeder. The hairies alert me to their arrival with their loud PEEK call, summoning me to my window in advance of their landing. I have 3 hairies and 3 downys regularly enjoying my offerings.
The downy I've named "Sweetie" continues to bring a smile to my face as I've seen her poking her head out of her adopted roosting place. I've been able to see her emerge from the box on two cold mornings and head straight to the suet. And I've seen her tucking in for the night, or maybe just ducking inside to warm up for awhile.
A Sharp-shinned Hawk visits regularly. Just yesterday, one was proudly perched on top of my Advanced Pole System. What a sight! I missed that photo-op but here's one perched in my plum tree that is only 10 feet from my front window.
Common Ravens regularly fly in an east-west flight pattern in the skies right out my window. In the late afternoon, I've seen them come in to roost in the tall pines south of my house.
Many "common" birds and a few special visitors have graced my yard in the days since my return. I have no reason to be in the doldrums or to succumb to the "Mundania Monster", as Lana of The Dreaming Tree called it.
In fact, just recently I had one of the absolutely BEST compliments when the Birdfreak Team told me, "Your yard rocks!" WOW!!!!!
Thanks to the Birdfreak Team for reawakening me to the fact that my yard really does rock! It doesn't have to be filled 24x7 with large flocks of winter finches or uncommon migrants or great woodland birds. I have chickadees and titmice and downys and hawks....every single day! Jays and doves, juncos, finches, and nuthatches, all no more than 20 feet away and just right outside my window!
That's why I love to share the passion of feeding the birds. Anyone can put out feeders to have the opportunity to see these treasures daily in the little bit of nature around their home.
ps: Thanks to Lana and the Birdfreak Team for helping out a fellow blogger!
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