Theledge.net

On the way home today, you apologized to me. We were driving along, with nothing in particular going on, when you suddenly called out to me “I’m sorry, Dad!”

I quickly asked “Why, sweetheart?”

My concern was not that you had actually done anything terribly wrong, since you hadn’t had either the time or the freedom to do anything more terrible than forget to hug your bunny.

My concern was more in the fact that something might have transpired in the tranquility of the car ride without me noticing.

I laughed when you clearly and without hesitation responded, with concern in your voice, “A bird pooped on your car.”

I think these two have a nest in our spruce tree. They seem less than thrilled at the large collection of birds coming in and out of the yard these days. Hopefully we can find a feed mixture that will quiet the neighborhood down a bit.

I still don’t have the words I need to say what I want to say. Maybe in a few days.

So, in the meantime, here is a picture of a Brewer’s Blackbird. We have seen them around the neighborhood for years, but they have moved in to our backyard since Alphie decided we needed a bird feeder. We have three regular camps of birds, with the grackles clearly being the most defensive of the new food source.

The smaller birds don’t seem too bothered by the grackles, though they give them some space, and move around the larger group as singular birds. The two doves who show up from time to time stay well away from the ever present group of blackbirds that jump back and forth from the fence to the feeder.