Things With Wings

Good Friday was a bird day. One of these days I'll say a little more about what makes a bird day a bird day. But for now, trust me, this was one. Our friends Tom and Amy and son Tyler visited from Baltimore, arrived in the dark, late Thursday night. Next morning, after breakfast, we spent some time on the floor with Little T and his toys. Little T has some great toys. Many make noises. He likes the ones that make noises. There was also a colorful, soft sided birdhouse with a hole on top through which little hands guide plush little birdies. Those birdies didn't make birdie noises, but they were cute. Instead, I made the noises for the birdies. Little T smiled at me when I made the birdie noises. Good times.

Just outside the window, while we explored all the toys and eventually everything else at floor level in our tight little living room, real birdies made their own noises while eating their breakfast. Amy, a keen bird watcher, noticed a unique one at the feeder. In general I'm easily distracted, and, in particular, pleasantly distracted when it comes to the things with wings. The feathered one in question was a cutie, slender and yellowed, with a short needle bill. It fluttered up to the window, hovered, and returned stealthily to its perch. Then it did it again. Several times! "Hey look at me!" it seemed to be expressing to us, or itself, I'm not certain. We got out the bird books. I slid over into the sunny doorway. So did Little T. The birds had our attention. We think it was a Pine Warbler (though I'm calling it the Window Warbler). Good times.