Our Backyard Birds

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

15 Jan 2008 01:38 PM

This afternoon as I write this, my two youngest children are taking their naps after a busy morning of crafts and a play date, my eldest is still in school, and all is quite in the house. I am watching a soft snow fall around the evergreens in our backyard and the birds come up to the bird feeder to grab some sustenance. Bold red cardinals snap the shells and gobble up the seeds, and a large but quiet morning dove nestles in the corner with its beak tucked in its wing. Every so often, it shakes the fat flakes of snow from its head.

I have seen (on Martha Stewart, I think) that backyard birds only appear at feeders in the morning and late afternoon. Our neighbor birds have not watched that show, because I see them all hours of the day. There are other birds that come and visit, too. The cardinal has a female friend, a brown foil to his brilliant color. She often hangs back on a tree until all of the other birds have gotten their fill. Two different species of woodpecker, both birds ruled only by that quiet morning dove, dive in and out for seeds. One of them tried to scare off the morning dove, but was quickly outnumbered by three other doves waiting in the wings, so to speak. That doesn't prevent the woodpecker from trying his luck at least once every few days. This woodpeckers must be the same bird who knocks knocks knocks at the outside sill of our bedroom window. And there are many daring and quick little birds, such as the black capped chickadees, the tufted titmouses and the song sparrows, all with their own agendas and techniques.

There are two other birds that we haven't yet identified. One is a fat round looking bird about the size of a sparrow. It features a black head and back and a snow white belly. Another is a bit larger, with a bright yellow body, a small little face and a distinctive personality. Can anyone identify these two birds for me?

These birds have educated me. From being the unsophisticated ruse who grudgingly picked up a bag of all-purpose seed and unceremoniously dumping it in the feeder, I now am someone who hunts down the best feed store to purchase only top-quality black oil-sunflower seeds.

Ah well, the birds seem to appreciate it, and we have out own little reality show right outside of our window.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Frugal Bird Feeding: Bird Feeders and Bird Houses

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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