A Fowl Day

It has been a day for the birds. Cardinals, house finches, bluebirds, a heron and chickens. A couple of cardinals are making a nest in one of the oak trees by the driveway. I watched them argue about building materials, stick arrangements and morning and evening views. It was difficult to tell who had the upper hand but he did seem to work hard. That suggests that when it comes to hearth and home, a man is mostly labor. The fourth hatching of finches is happening in the same nest in the rafters of the front porch. Last year, there were two broods. This year there were also two. The young ones scream as all infants when mom or dad approaches with nourishment. It is fun to hear. Last spring I placed two bluebird houses without serious thought that any would take up residence. I was wrong. Both houses, about three hundred meters apart, are full to capacity. Adults move in and out of the secure houses, safe from the ardent attention of my pride of cats. When I get close to both houses, I can hear the young behaving as typical youngsters. This fall, I will clean out the houses in preparation for next year’s residents. I like the thought of bluebirds sitting near their winter fires and talking about where to spend the summer. “Say, honey, I really liked that place we stayed last year in Alabama.” If only bluebirds could fill out customer satisfaction surveys. Then there is the heron. The one now visiting the lake was likely to have been the one born there last year. Maybe he is visiting his home place on his way to bigger lakes where all the pretty girl herons are flocking. It is good to assume that herons have a sentimental streak. And, finally, the chickens. As I was putting everybody to bed last night, I discovered one of my old hens had passed on to the golden hen house in the sky. I was a little tired and figured I would give her an appropriate burial this morning. So, when I approached the chicken yard with shovel in hand, I could not find the body. I felt a pain of guilt that I did not take the time to do my duty last night and that the result was that she left this world as dinner for a critter. It was one of many lessons the chickens have taught me. From now on, I am not going to put off for tomorrow what should be done today.