Monday morning

9 January 2017

— several sharp-eyed sparrows at the old feeder in my new house

Good Morning All,

Each winter, starting on 10 November, my dad’s birthday, I start stocking the hanging bird feeders with sunflower seeds and spreading grain on the ground beneath. The little birds, sparrows, finches, and tits, mostly, with the occasional woodpecker and grosbeak, take turns at the hanging feeders. (Well, the sparrows don’t take turns; they all muscle in at once.) The ground grain is for the pheasants, mourning doves, magpies, and blackbirds. I go through about 40 kilos of sunflower seeds and another 40 of the mixed grain each winter. They are a joy too watch as I sit working at my desk. And—however ridiculous this sounds—I can at least say to scowling Saint Peter at the Gate, “Well, okay, I admit to that long list, but at least I kept the birds happy.”

The last day of cleaning the old house, I emptied my two feed barrels across the grass and admonished the birds to pace themselves because this source was drying up. I consoled myself by knowing that the birds, cagey creatures, know they can’t rely on just one spot, but must have a dozen or so.

The husband of the woman who sold us this house was also a bird person. She wasn’t. I put out feed late yesterday afternoon, but there was no avian activity. And now, this morning, here is this small flock of sparrows!

Go well and stay well,

Bhekaron