Nature Show

Since I had some extra time before heading to the airport this morning, I decided to spend a few minutes watching a nature show. With wonder and awe I watched a mother and father house wren take turns landing at the nesting box with wiggly worms in their mouths, the babies jamming their gaping mouths at the hole, each hoping to be the one to get the worm. After the treat had been lovingly deposited in the gullet of the ravenous chick, the parent dutifully reached further into the nest and removed a small wad of waste, flying away to drop it far from the nursery. Nearby were chickadees and finches jostling for places at a seed feeder, taunting each other, claiming perching rights, and having their fill of sunflower seeds. Below the feeder, two baby cardinals scavenged for seeds that had dropped during the scuffles above, along with a squirrel or two or three. When the squirrels weren't snuffling and pawing through the seed shells for the occasional intact goody, they were chasing one another around the tree and up the branches, leaping over each other like acrobats. A few feet above the action at the feeder, Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird were busy feeding their young at a nesting box hanging from a limb, at peace with their duties.

What a delightful way to spend a spare fifteen minutes, standing at my back window watching the nature show.