The Birds

Filed Under lil things, local, new things, small happinesses

Winter Wren, courtesy of Wake Robin Learning Center And yet another new preoccupation - one as mysterious as my sudden appreciation for the color purple, and seahorses: I’ve become enamored of the bird songs enveloping my house during the daylight hours. The sounds aren’t new, but my love for them is. Some mornings I wake up and just lie still in the bed, growing more and more breathless as their songs increase. Throughout the day, I’ll pause - half disbelieving. It’s as though someone is piping bird calls directly into my house. I feel like a Who.

I mention the birds to hubby, and my family across the street, but no one else seems to be thinking about them. Further investigation is needed, but through online research of photography and mp3 files, I believe that we are surrounded by warblers, brown creepers, robins, chickadees, wonderful winter wrens, a small number of blue jays, and a handful of hummingbirds. And possibly sparrows. Previously, they were to me, “chit chit” birds, “swee” birds,” “trilling,” and “weow whistling” birds. If I even thought that far. I am keeping my ears open for a meadowlark, though I think I may have to venture to a nearby forest for that one.

As both a city girl and a woman who operates almost entirely at the conscious level, I have no real notion of what all this “signifies,” if anything. I’ll continue to explore this interest … until its prominence in my mind wanes or leads to something more. It is really strange to think you know yourself, only to be possessed in this way.

*photo of Winter Wren, from the Wake Robin Learning Center at NWNature.net.

Comments

4 Responses to “The Birds”

Ms. Theologian on May 25th, 2008 11:52 am

We get your pacific northwest birds in the winter. And they’re lovely!
Toonhead on May 25th, 2008 7:28 pm

You are not the only one preoccupied by birds. Birds are an indirect part of my job (work in a wildlife and fisheries department). I get several calls about identifying birds (usually direct to the extension people or ornithologist), last week filmed seminars for two ornithology candidates (one of which taught me several fascinating things about cowbirds), helped a lady identify a bird that had been hanging around her house for a week (a yellow-crowned night heron), open a lab so that people can put dead birds in the fridge, the ornithology labs meet in a classroom near my office and I get to hear the calls and finally I own two pet birds. For some real fun put out a feeder.
PeaceBang on June 7th, 2008 11:05 am

This makes me very happy too. Do you get any cardinals? They go “chip chip chip.” I don’t know the names of any of the birds (I mean, I do, but I don’t know which song goes with what bird). Greg likes to make up names of birds when we’re on walks. When we hear a birdsong he’ll say, “That’s a morning glory.” And I nod yes, that’s definitely a morning glory.

Your catfish post cracked me up!!!
B. on July 25th, 2008 12:31 pm

Hi!

I haven’t been here in awhile and I just thought I would say Hi Chickadee! I love the spirit that comes across in your posts.

All Happiness to you!

B.