I've always heard their chirp; loved their songs... Dreamed of flying high above the clouds and looking down on the world from above, with endless skies to soar and explore. And with all the different colors, features, personalities, songs & calls, sometimes it's enormous to grasp how many different species of birds there really are in the world.
My appreciation for our little feathered friends started earlier in my life than I realized...
When I was a kid, living in Colorado, we had a little wren family that would come nest, every year, in a porch ornament of my mom's. I always looked forward to having them around; watching their young peep their heads for worms and grub from mom and dad and then learning how to fly away, until the next year.
In our backyard, we had a cherry tree and an apple tree - we could eat the cherries, if we got to them before the birds; but the apples were not edible for us anyway, so we let the birds enjoy those willingly. We also had what mom called Dive-Bomb-Birds, that nested in the trees across the street... any time ANYONE would walk by them, they would swoop up and then dive down at your head to get you to leave. (They were Mean birds).
While I've always been a nature lover, when I moved to Texas at the beginning of high school, Freshman year, I had other things on my mind than nature and birds; therefore, my notice of them steeply declined. Unless you count the thousands of small black birds that would line the wires along the road, or the occasional hawk that would enjoy lunch in the field that was behind our house, there weren't many spectacular sitings.
Atlanta was a completely different scene, around the city. My parent's backyard, however, served as glorified watch tower for all your viewing pleasures. With full-clear pane windows in the breakfast nook overlooking the backyard - that is delightfully filled with feeders, houses, and perches galore (not to mention the plethora of trees to flutter to-and-fro) - there's always a glimmer of color, chirp, or cheep to catch your eyes and ears. And with a binoculars and a Bird Guide at the hand's ready, it was enjoyable and relaxing to spy and be informed.
I also experienced a delight while shooting a short film for college one day, with a group of classmates... A hawk swooped down and nabbed a frog from the creek not 50 feet from where we were set up to shoot. Unfortunately, we had the camera off, as we were setting scenery and props at the time. It was still a fascinating moment.
While I didn't stay at my parent's house very long after moving to Atlanta area, I still enjoy the view of their feathered friends while I visit. And recently, the city where they live approved their yard as a Wildlife Preserve - it provides all the essentials for birds and animals to live and survive in their habitat.
Not long after I moved into my OWN apartment [still in Atlanta (a few years after actually moving out of my parent's)], I was closely re-introduced to one of my favorite fowl friends - the Owl. [We had one that lived near the field in Texas, that I would see at night, once in a while, searching for breakfast/dinner; he mostly chilled on the wires and made no noise]. My boyfriend has an incredible ability to mimic many bird calls, including the hoot of an owl.
You're probably thinking: "Seriously... what's so hard about Hooting??"
But really, there's an art to it... You can't just HOOT. You have to have the same tone and definition in the hoots that they make to sound convincing that you are part of his "family."
Well, one night we were on the porch at my apartment, and heard some hooting. He hoots back. The owl hoots back differently, almost as if in question of the new hooter. He flies closer. Along with 3 or 4 OTHER owls. So now my boyfriend and the owls are hooting back and forth; within 20-40 feet from where we are, they are scattered in the trees. They figured out that we weren't part of their family; when the big one left, the others followed.
We moved into a house that was nicely surrounded by trees, with lots of branches to hang feeders. The first one was red with a butterfly; then green with trees; then red with a bird design... And there, I fell back into the love of our feathered friends.
We set up a couch in the garage (yes, I know... not very attractive, but it was comfy!) to chill and watch the birds; helped with staying still so they wouldn't be frightened by our movements.
Our stay at that house was short lived, but I learned new birds and saw some in person that I had only seen in books - the Cardinal and the Blue jay; Neither were indigenous to the climates where I grew up.
My life's wings took flight and landed here in Tennessee, where I have turned a subtle re-introduction to one of nature's most overlooked beauties into an appreciation of the songs of life. With the help, of course, of my boyfriend.
On yet another dark night, we heard the hoots.
Ladies and Gentleman: Dr. Doolittle
With binoculars from my dad, a bird guide from my bro, and my boyfriend's already extensive knowledge of birds and their language [he does hawk and crow (and calls the crows in regularly; mom gets mad at him for it: "Bad Crows! Go away!" Haha!); and he's working on chickadee and nut thatch), we have had the pleasure of observing and friending many of the flocks that flutter in our forest.
My favorite is the Blue jay - I call them Buddy Blue Jays. I've learned how to do their "I'm Happy" chirp; I called three in to the tree next to me just the other day! I've had several come up and eat a peanut, then grab one to go while I'm standing still outside with them; it's almost as if they know that I'm not there to harm...
The Mocking Birds follow me on my walks, from wire to wire, singing their beautiful songs as I enjoy their company. Then they follow me home to enjoy my appreciation for their melodies.
The Woodpeckers sometimes build up their courage enough to come have a nibble...
And of course, I can't forget the buzzards that made our woods their home for the first couple years here. I acquired a good stash of fallen feathers while on my walks (to use making my dreamcatcher creations). And it was always thrilling to have them circling my head while they ride the thermals; even buzzards have some grace while in flight. (Sadly the 911 building/tower didn't like them roosting atop the structure during the day, so every evening would fire a flare at them, which forced them to find somewhere else to roost and rest).
The deck now has three feeders with peanuts, a dish on the rail for water or eats, depending on the weather, and two suet cages with added peanut butter and peanuts (for extra crunch) that keep our feathered friends nourished and hydrated. [We have a birdbath in the front yard that desperately needs replacement - birds don't like to drink broken cement. I'm thinking sturdy metal stand with a stained glass bowl]. During the summer months, there are added Hummingbird feeders - and believe me: those little buggars aren's shy! They will defend "their" sugar water 'til the end!
And let's not forget Garden Greenthumb's contribution: Homegrown Sunflower seeds. I'm not a big fan of eating them myself, but I love the look of Sunflowers...
Enjoy the beauty and give the fruit back to nature, while enjoying the melodies of life.
All the species of birds have such unique sounds; and you can tell when they are happy or cranky. Most mornings, I can step out onto the deck and hear the happy songs, waking with the sun.
The songs of Nature.
Every time I see a little birdie come up and grab a peanut, it brings a smile to my face.
Next time you're having a difficult moment, need to relax, or simply want to re-introduce nature into your soul, look to the sky and listen for the song of flight.
- Omegan
