I lunge for my camera. Across the room, through the door, and past the patio, a bird has landed at the feeder. It’s the white on its back that first catches my eye. Then as I get closer I can see that it doesn’t have much undercarriage streaking.
Checking my photo with Merlin-the-bird-app yields a positive: It *is* a hoary redpoll, a bird I’ve just learned about and rare in these here parts. Woohoo.
Several shots have him tail-first to the camera with his head stuffed into the feeder tray, but in one shot I caught him sideways, with a full beak and a sparkle in his eye. O frabjous day.
Calloo! Callay!
Jim T
Jim T – 🙂
Nice picture!
Judith – Thanks! He’s a northern cutie.
How can something so tiny make your day? Here are some answers.
Because we have it on great Authority that the fall of something so tiny is noticed by God, too. If something is small enough to matter to us, it is worthy of the most profound consideration. It reminds us of the profusion and interconnections of creation. Haiku is an endearing form because it showcases the most ephemeral of sensations and observations. The rest of us can rejoice with you so the joy is communal as well.
Laurna – That’s a lovely thought: That we might share this attention-to-detail with the Creator.
Perfect! And, I think, a seed in its mouth. Persistence does have many positive qualities.
Judith – Yes, a sunflower-seed chip, coated in cayenne because the squirrels won’t eat that. The birds look askance at the red for a while, too, but eventually someone tries it and spreads the word.
Congrats Isabel! All your observations, picture taking pay out for you.
You nailed one.
Jim R – Thanks! It’s a slow process, but fun.