Feel the Magic

Although it has been a frantic week for farming, chores are taking at least an extra hour twice a day because of new mothers and babies, it has been a magical week for birds.

This time of year they are not all spaced out making nests and raising chicks and they have time to come close to us and hang around. I was at the kitchen table with the girls the other day and heard geese low and urgent. Although I skipped grabbing the camera and wished I had, I got to enjoy a moment of amazing beauty as waves of them raced south right over my head as I stood on the porch. 

They were so low I could see the webbing on their feet tucked up against their belly feathers. There is something mysterious about a Canada goose bent on business, even if they do spend a lot of their time making messes and raiding corn fields.

The little chickadees have kicked the tameness up a notch, what with the darned Sassenachs stealing all the sunflower seeds. When I step outside and the feeder is empty they swirl around me in a cloud of hungry. Even the goldfinches seem extra friendly, maybe because of the cold.

And I swear I heard and saw a pair of fish crows yesterday. They flew over the barnyard heading north and cawing in the weirdest high-pitched voice. Certainly didn't sound like regular crows at all. If I was positive they sure would be a nice addition to my little bird count.

At any rate it is nice to have the birds around to lighten up the atmosphere, what with cold and mud and extra barn work. And the price for enjoying them is certainly right.