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| Amy Tan illustrations from her book Backyard Bird Chronicles. Top to bottom: Bewick's Wren; Great Horned Owl; Pine Siskins and Lesser Goldfinches; Dark-eyed Junco |
Weather: Overcast, threatening rain. We are experiencing the ups and downs of late winter in the Pacific Northwest -- sunny one moment and rainy the next.
The birds are back: We have resident birds who stick around all year -- Dark-eyed Juncos; Anna's Hummingbirds; Chestnut-backed and Black-capped Chickadees; House Finches; and House Sparrows -- but during the past two weeks many others have returned from their southern climes. Some will remain with us for the whole of spring and summer -- American Robins; Pine Siskins; Spotted Towhees, American and Lesser Goldfinches; and many others. While some birds will merely stop by on their way north. In fact, I think we've already seen our last Yellow-rumped Warbler and California Scrub Jay until Fall when they turn around and head south again.
New to me birds: Retirement has meant time to sit and look out the window much more often than when I was working. Now I get to see and experience all the wildlife activity in my own backyard more fully...primarily birds and squirrels. In addition, I downloaded the Merlin Bird App on my phone and can now record the bird songs happening right outside my back door. This spring I've met at least three new birds this way: the Varied Thrush (with its low-toned, almost eerie song); the Red-Capped Kinglet (a tiny greenish-colored bird with the tiniest hint of a red cap); and the Bewick's Wren (I noticed the song first and had to search for this little guy. The song is very loud and persistent.)
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| Our bird feeder photo of the Dark-eyed Junco yesterday |
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| The Spotted Towhee is looking around for a few stray kernels of food |
A new feeder: Don gave me this high-tech bird feeder for my birthday a few weeks ago. Equipped with a solar-powered, wi-fi connected, digital camera, I can see close up photos of the squirrels birds who eat from the feeder. So far the Juncos and the squirrels are pigging it. Yesterday one of the Juncos stood guard all day but had to move off when a larger Spotted Towhee swooped in for a treat. We hope to get the feeder mounted on a post with some flashing to discourage the squirrels from eating most of the seeds, but for now it is attached to our small oak tree and our bird feeder is largely a squirrel feeder!
A few more recent bird moments:
- A Great Horned Owl has hooted at us several times recently when we take the dog out at night before bed. We've never seen him, but have heard him often enough to know he lives in a neighborhood tree. We are awed, the dog is freaked out. 🦉
- A pair of Red-Shafted Northern Flickers have decided our suet feeder is their preferred breakfast restaurant. The red-shafted variety can be distinguished by their underside feathers, which are dark orange and their red "whiskers". The yellow-shafted subspecies have yellow underside feathers and black whiskers/moustache. I don't think we have the latter variety around here.
- Yesterday on a walk in our neighborhood a Bald Eagle flew overhead. Many Indigenous people believe that witnessing a Bald Eagle flying overhead is a spiritual sign, a message from the Creator of strength, courage, and wisdom. I think it is true. One cannot witness an eagle passing over you without feeling a strong sense of wonder.
- We have a large park near our home that is mostly in its natural forested state. A few weeks ago we took a hike with our young grandson. We got off the beaten path and stumbled upon an old, rotten tree which had clearly been attacked by a Pileated Woodpecker leaving a pile of wood chips littering the ground all around. We haven't seen one of these birds in the park yet this year but we have in the past. A Downy Woodpecker and a Red-Headed Sapsucker have been sighted in our backyard in recent weeks. I love watching them work.
What birds are you noticing in your corners of the world during this time of changing seasons?
Books and blogging: Apparently I go back and forth on my book blogging practices. Right now I am in a reading phase which has caused me to be way behind on my blogging and reviewing. I currently have a five-book baglog of reviews that I need/want to write.
- Currently reading:
- The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky. This is my One-Big-Book of the year selection and also my Classics Club spin book for March. I set a goal to read 25 pages a day. At 850+ pages it will take me over a month to complete. Currently I am on page 122. I have a long way to go!
- The Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood. In an odd case of coincidence this is the second book this month about dealing with grief which is set in Australia. Audio. 39%.
- The Not-Quite States of America: Dispatches from the Territories and Other Far-Flung Outposts of USA by Doug Mack. A nonfiction book about the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. This has been on my reading list for several years. Print. 4%.
- Recently completed books
- With My Back to the World: Poems by Victoria Chang. Poems on a theme related to the art of Agnes Martin. Very thought-provoking. Print.
- Small Rain by Garth Greenwell. A beautifully written book about healthcare with inspirations from art and music. Audio.
- White Cat, Black Dog: Stories by Kelly Link. Seven modern fairy tales. My daughter Rita and I did a read-along on this one and would discuss each story as we finished. Print.
- The Wedding People by Alison Espach. A book club selection for this month. Print.
- Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks. The other book, this one a memoir, set in Australia by a favorite author as she processes the death of her husband. Audio.
- This Motherless Land by Nikki May. A Mansfield Park retelling across two cultures. Audio.
- Blog posts since my last Sunday Salon:
A short-lived freak out: Yesterday I drove to a nearby town to go to a Barnes and Noble bookstore with my daughter. My city doesn't have a bookstore, not even a used bookstore so we have to drive to another town if we want to shop in person! As we walked in the door there were signs everywhere -- 25% off everything -- except the items marked as "not on the store closing sale". Wait, what? The store was closing? How could they close? This B&N is the nearest big bookstore to us. What? Are we going to have to drive to Seattle if we want to shop at an actual bookstore? Both my daughter and I were sort of in freak-out mode. It was short-lived, however, once we learned the store was moving to a new location nearby. Whew! Disaster averted.
Lent: This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, signifying 40 days before Easter. This period of Lent is often thought of as a good time to draw closer in our relationship with God by adding or subtracting activities which will add/detract from that bond. This year I've decided do both (add and subtract.) I've added reading a daily devotional and prayer for my spiritual health. I've added health practices related to my eyes and my teeth based on recent visits to my optometrist and dentist. And I've subtracted playing games on my phone. I think that is the single biggest reason I'm in a reading phase right now. Ha! I'm also attempting to divest myself/our home of 40 bags (shopping bag size) of junk. So far I've gotten rid of 17 bags! (I started early.) I want to free myself from the compulsion to have too much "stuff." I have a sense this will be a very freeing activity.
Love to you all!
