A Lovely Visitor

I was in the kitchen a day or so ago when the loud, clear 'fee-bee' call caught my attention.  I went out on the back deck to try to find him - there he was, at the top of the Honey Locust singing away.  I had seen a pair flitting here and there across the deck and around the Japanese Maple.  Already nesting?

click here to listen to the "fee-bee" call



Sadly, many of my non-migratory birds have left the yard.  We had some issues with raccoons raiding the feeders; I decided, that with the warmer winter and lots of berries, I would leave the feeders empty for a few weeks.  The return of the robins and fairer weather justifies stocking up once again, don't you think?  It might take a few days for them to return, but the finches are pretty quick to notice and the Jays and woodpeckers love the nuts in the 'specialty' feeder.  I call it that because it is the one luxury buffet with nuts and fruit blend. The rest are black oil sunflower seeds - common fare :-).  However, I think it should entice them to come home... like honeypots and Pooh.

"Now then, Piglet, let's go home."
"But, Pooh," cried Piglet, all excited, "do you know the way?"
"No," said Pooh.  "But there are twelve pots of honey in my cupboard, and they have been calling me for hours.  I couldn't hear them properly before, because Rabbit would talk, but if nobody says anything except those twelve pots, I think, Piglet, I shall know where they're calling from.  Come on." (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 124)

It seems like a good time to put out the colored yarn and ribbon strips for nesting material.   See my Pintrest account (linked on left sidebar) under 'For the Birds' for a picture of one way to do this.  I have a new blue bird box to put up too.  Maybe I will actually get bluebirds to nest and make our space their home.