New Happenings

Many days are like many other days. Some days we feel like we’re slogging through life, doing the same things day after day. Other days provide a welcome respite to the slogging feeling, with things that happen which are unique or unusual. Such was today.
I saw, for the first time (at least that I know of), an eastern bluebird. This bird is the one that people think of when they think of bluebirds, although there are one or two other varieties in this part of the country. There are not many of them, and they have been elusive to me over the years. But today, the bird feeder on the patio attracted at least one and maybe two of them to feed and pose for a picture or two. They truly are as handsome as they have been made out to be.
The second happened as I stood out on the patio. I was about three feet away from the bird feeder and even closer to the hummingbird feeder. I heard a buzzing noise overhead and to my back. Thinking it was an unusual aircraft, I turned my head to see a hummingbird (ruby-throated) come around and go to the hummingbird feeder, not two feet away from my right hand. He fed from the artificial flower as I watched, and I also saw his little tongue as it darted in and out from the end of his pointed bill. He didn’t seem to be afraid of me, and the red patch on his throat shimmered and changed in the sunlight as he moved. What a sight!
This may not seem like much to some of you, but I truly enjoyed these two encounters. Watching birds is something I enjoy doing, and I am glad that we are attracting such a variety. When we first moved here, I didn’t see many birds and thought there might not be much chance for watching. However, this year we’ve seen cardinals, doves, robins, the tufted titmouse, juncos, downy woodpeckers, various sparrow varieties, blue jays, the bluebird, and even a brown-headed cowbird. What a variety, and what a promise of even more bird watching to come.