Charming Chickadees

Sunday, March 31, 2019

For me, summer really arrives once the Mountain Chickadees arrive again in this area. I love the little songbirds, packages of great energy with distinctive feathering, and above all, with a distinctive, charming field call, “Hi-ya, ba-be.”

They create enticing background music to my horseback rides in BLM and forestlands, and as I hang around or do work on my property. I sing, too, and mimic back, “Hiya, baby!”

Regardless that our end-of-winter nutsy weather brings alternating days of freeze, snow, rain, or sunshine, it’s officially spring when the Chickadees start showing up on my feeders.

These forest birds, primarily insect eaters, love sunflower seeds and nuts. In my feeder, the birds and their buddies work very hard to release the large nuts that are bound together by hardened peanut butter. Their diligence and determination, worthy of admiration, are in contrast to their instant flights at slightest disturbances.

Tomorrow begins a new month, and as these birds sing in the background, it’s time to transition beyond any first glimmerings of our new warmth, and now, start preparing for months ahead of dependable summertime and the activities that warm weather invites.

Dear Friends, Appreciate and hold in wonder the fabulous birds that tell us much. Diana