On Becoming a Bird Watcher

For about 15 minutes last weekend I was a bird watcher. I sat. I watched. I waited. This Daddy Wren has been busy flitting about gathering resources to make a nest for his little ones. Needing a craft for Ella during the cold months of 2009 we found this cute birdhouse at a local craft store. Pink and white were the colors of choice and Ella was off doing one of her favorite things...paint. We hung the house on this tree in our front yard, able to be viewed perfectly from one of Ella's windows. I had lost hope that any birds would be taking residence this year when last weekend I just happened to see this Daddy setting up home.

I do not know my birds. I had to ask Jesse what this bird was. Jess is the resident bird watcher, among other titles it seems, and is passing along the love of the watch to his children. I have never been one to gravitate to this past time. I have taken quite well to the care of plants and know so many now. I care to know I guess. Those birds though... Maybe it's because they move so fast and are so tiny. I mean, I can't keep them straight. Okay. I know my Cardinals. Have you taken note of a Mama Cardinal? Beautiful brown colors on her. And of course that Blue Jay isn't hard to spot. Okay, and I know a Robin. But...anything else? Maybe I didn't take interest young enough. My children will sit patiently with their Dad to watch and learn while I'm busy flitting about like those birds - tending to my nest, I guess!

So this bird was at Ella's birdhouse. I watched his busyness for some minutes. Then I made the mistake of raising the blinds to capture a photo. Off he flew. In Jesse came with camera. Without saying a word I passed the baton of bird watching to him. Jess knew exactly what was happening. He sat, watched, waited and captured this photo, while I was off to my flitting.