bird watching, watching me
Paul birdwatches from his home office. Two bird feeders and a bird bath are within view from Paul's windows. He has me to thank for the great variety of feathered friends visiting our yard. I feed the birds throughout the year, but this time of year, spring, is particularly busy!
Birds do watch us and talk about us, too. From a distance, they watch me as I put their seed in the feeders, their little eyes boring down on me to work faster. I wish I knew what their chatter is about. They may be telling each other how I am in their way and how I need to hurry the hell up (seriously, they seem mad at me sometimes) so they can get on with eating. I am the intruder, a pest they must tolerate in their space. But for me, being in their presence is like a little glimpse of heaven. Watching and listening to them makes the world seem sweeter and brighter than it actually is.
As I sit in their sanctuary, I record their language on my phone so I can have them with me to listen to throughout the day. Their chit-chat and songs soothe stressful work days. I have no idea what they're saying; I am not an experienced birder. Sometimes, it sounds like birdsong, but sometimes, they are probably just talking to friends, family, and young ones about the important goings on in the yard. "Watch it! There's a dog over there!" "Come and get it, dinner’s here!”
In the painting above, Paul is watching a Bluebird and the Bluebird is watching him. If I study them well enough this spring and summer, I plan to paint Paul watching all the birds who stop by to visit*. I am concerned about the matter of scale. Cardinals are bigger than a Tufted Titmouse, but by how much? Although it is sweet to have Paul tiny in the painting, I want the various birds depicted in future paintings to be within the correct scale of one another. it! Foods here!" Or "That silly lady, she still hasn't moved!"
One day, I hope to identify all of my little neighbors, if not by sound, then at the very least, by sight. I wonder how long it will take for me to learn about them? I am sure they now know me very well by sight. I am the dark-skinned lady, hair going in all directions, wearing the olive green wellies on her feet, the pesky, nosey lady with the food.
*According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Merlin Bird ID app, these are the birds I was able to listen to and record on Monday, April 29th -
Brown-headed Cowbird
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Cardinal
House Sparrow
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Common Grackle
Chipping Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker
American Robin
American Goldfinch
House Wren
Song Sparrow
however, no Bluebirds were seen or heard on this particular day
