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| Eastern Bluebird in our yard |
In my next life I think I will be an ornithologist. My first
true awareness of birds happened during the summer of my 15th year.
It was my job to weed our enormous vegetable garden. I would begin very early
in the morning because that is when the ground is the softest and the weeds
pull easily. In my early morning solitude I was alone with my thoughts but I
was not alone in my garden. The birds greeted me every day. Over time I would stop and look up to
see which bird it was that was singing which beautiful song. They made me stop and pay
attention. Slowly I learned to
distinguish bird from bird and song from song. It was the beginning of a
lifelong friendship.
Currently residing in our yard are cardinals, goldfinches,
bluebirds, tufted titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, robins, blue jays, swallows,
sparrows, crows, rose-breasted grosbeaks, red tailed hawks, wrens, mockingbirds,
woodpeckers, mourning doves, wild turkey, and killdeer. I’m sure I am
forgetting some. The ducks, geese and loons have returned to the lake. Next
week the Baltimore orioles and the hummingbirds should arrive. Last summer a
magnificent bald eagle made frequent visits.
Here is a link of all the Massachusetts
birds from the Audubon Society. Better than viewing them online, however,
is seeing and hearing them in person. Sip your morning coffee outside on the
porch while enjoying the ever-changing symphony.
