The Visit

See his little red belly!

I putzed around the house yesterday, preparing for our first snow of the season. It was time to take down the Christmas tree but I felt sad because it was holding up very well, with no needle loss.

As I dragged it through the kitchen, a little thought slammed into my mind. Barely containing my delight, I positioned it outside my dining room window, threw a set of lights on it and hung up the feeders. Joy to the World! Christmas until Easter! Wait till the birds see this!

I must say it was a smash success. They love it. I was visited today by two red finches, Mr. & Mrs. Bluejay, the American black sparrrows along with their cousins the brown, my little black capped chickadees, the starlings, and the cardinal family. I think an oriole stopped by but he kept his distance. And of course, those darn pigeons...shoo! Late in the afternoon two seagulls circled around to take a look.

It was all very exciting, but someone very dear to my heart was missing. The one who caused me to trip up my front steps and dent my tripod when I saw him in the front of my house a few weeks ago.

Suddenly, he was at the feeder. I couldn't move fast enough to get a proper shot and he flew to my dogwood where he played and swayed.

I do hope he comes back! But in the meantime, this has been a wonderful stay at home day!

Red bellied woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus