My Backyard Birds

Today, I invite you to pull up a chair on my deck and sit a spell.

I'm sure we would have lots to talk about, but for the most part, we will have to remain silent, so that my feathered friends are not spooked.

It is early in the spring season, so many of the more colourful birds have not yet returned to their northern homes.

The first little bird to show up is the Pine Siskin.These birds are generally not afraid to be near humans. This one has come to get a drink at the bird bath.

As I mentioned, it is early in the season, and therefore the Dark-eyed Juncos are still around. By summer they will have migrated further north for the nesting season. Many people don't like these birds, but I truly enjoy them. Their cheery twittering can be heard among the trees, even as the birds blend into the twigs.

Talk about not liking a bird. Here is one I have difficulty liking, simply because they tend to take over and they reproduce rather plentifully.

One of the first spring birds to return to the back yard is the American Robin. I look forward to seeing them every year. I love their song and they look quite handsome as well. This year, one of the first Robins I saw was sitting near the deck and looking around. I thought he might have remembered the raisins which he had at my house last year. I went to get a handful of raisin, he watched me as I put them on the deck railing. No sooner had I closed the door behind me, he started moving towards the raisins. Don't tell me that birds have a bad memory.

We end this time on the deck with my very favourite bird, the black-capped Chickadee. This bird is around all year and can be counted on to whistle his clear and cheery tune, on the coldest days. In winter when I step outside on a crisp and cold morning and hear that cheery whistle, I have to smile.

I hope you enjoyed watching a few of my backyard birds together with me.

God’s laughter is heard in the song of the birds.