Naturally

My morning started out with a shower. I hoped to clear the cobwebs from my mind. The invigorating stream of water hadn't been hitting me for long before I noticed I wasn't alone in the shower. What does a spider think when it finds a man in its shower? I can only know what I think and did. I said, "Good morning, spider, I hope you'll have a pleasant day."
A friend sent me an email saying, "To hear a duck quacking is a most fortunate omen, indicating the coming of prosperity." I enjoy hearing from pals, but this forward was much more appreciated than the tired political ones and gave me high hopes for everyone's economy.
Once my morning ablutions had been completed, I went for a walk. During these times and all others, I find comfort in birds. Some snowy days, they all become snowbirds. A blue jay flew into the feeder, selected a peanut in the shell and flew to a tree. It flew back to the feeder with the peanut still in its bill. It dropped the goober onto the feeder and took another peanut more to its liking. I don't think I've ever had a bird return food before. I suppose the best-if-used-by date of the peanut had expired. A house finch makes a wonderful neighbor. It beautifies the neighborhood, sings songs I enjoy hearing and borrows no tools. I spotted a brown creeper, white-winged crossbill and Eurasian collared-dove.
Nature gives me bearings and values. Birds brighten my days. A new birdie's headlights illuminated a recent morning. It was a stranger to my yard. The chestnut-capped and white-cheeked visitor was slightly smaller than a house sparrow. A Eurasian tree sparrow was hanging around with a gang of house sparrows in my yard. They are related species. The bird was a lovely surprise. I’d not seen one in my county before. In Eurasia, this species is widespread and abundant. I saw them when I've worked there and I've seen some in this country. There is a small population in the United States derived from a shipment of songbirds (bullfinches, chaffinches, greenfinches, linnets and Eurasian tree sparrows) brought from Germany and released in St. Louis in April 1870. Introducing the songbirds was meant to enhance the native avifauna and provide familiar bird species for newly settled European immigrants. The Eurasian tree sparrow population took hold and the birds are now found in parts of Missouri, Illinois and southeastern Iowa, but are fairly local. The tougher house sparrow, more aggressive and adaptable, may keep them out of areas. This tree sparrow isn't a bird of cities, preferring farms, lightly wooded residential areas and other more natural places than the house sparrow that is at home with pavement and concrete. The welcome visitor found sustenance in the seeds from my feeders. I was as happy as a lark to see that sparrow.
Q&A
"Why do cardinals arrive so early and stay so late at my bird feeders?" Because that's when the seed prices are lowest. Those redbirds never miss taking advantage of a sale. The male is a dandy. His red plumage is bright and distinct in daylight and attracts attention (both wanted and unwanted). His bright color diminishes in dim light. That makes male cardinals as inconspicuous as their mates at twilight and less easily seen by predators like cats. And avian predators like Cooper’s hawks are inactive at dawn and dusk. Cardinals often live year-round near bird feeders. They have a short commute. They can stay later because their flight home is a brief one. Cardinals feed at dawn and dusk because they have less competition at feeders in low light. That means they don't have to wait behind birds who have clipped a ton of coupons.
"What is a jack snipe?" The jack snipe is a small wading bird native to parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. It's the world’s smallest snipe. A brown marsh bird with a long bill. This country has its relative, the Wilson's snipe. I've heard a pectoral sandpiper called a jack snipe. When called that, it doesn't come any closer. Have you been one of the lucky ones who went on a snipe hunt as a youngster? If so, I hope you're not still holding that bag you're supposed to stuff with the snipe you'd catch. I further hope they didn't drench you in snipe spit, which is purported to be a never-fail snipe lure.
Thanks for stopping by
"Black are my steps on silver sod; Thick blows my frosty breath abroad; And tree and house, and hill and lake, Are frosted like a wedding cake." — Robert Louis Stevenson
"You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need." — The Rolling Stones
Do good.

©Al Batt 2021