In Focus

Thanks Mother Nature for that snowstorm. I hope that was the grand finale for winter.

While it was unpleasant to watch the snow accumulate, watching the birds dig out of it was interesting. I had no idea I had so many birds in my back yard. I bet the robins were regretting coming back so soon.

My mom bought a birdfeeder and hung it in front of a window for the cats. It’s like cat TV. At one point there were four cats trying to squeeze into the window to see what was going on. It’s hard to ignore what was happening at that feeder.

There were so many different kinds of birds and I have no clue what they were. At one point there were black ones with white bellies, brown ones with a red spot on their head, or on their chest (not a robin), even a bright yellow one and one with a yellow head. In the trees there were larger brown birds with an iridescent green/blue head that I was told were grackles. Even at night I heard owls and doves hanging out in some tree close by.

I’ve never noticed such a variety of birds in my yard before. The only one I don’t wish to see is that darn woodpecker that was extremely annoying last summer before we had the dead trees cut down. His 5-6 a.m. wake-up pecking was not fun. He even drove the cats nuts. I’d have several cats in a window growling at him.

I’m glad spring is trying to make an appearance. Hearing all the songbirds in the morning is just a happy reminder it is coming. I guess I’ll have to break out the bird book and figure out who’s camping out in my yard this spring and summer.