Sparrows

I wanted birds in my little dark yard, so ten years ago I planted a white barked birch at the end of the yard because birds like birch trees. As it was growing, no birds came, but at last this year they have discovered the bird feeder and it gets noisy out there. When I go away I fill it up, and when I get back it's empty.

Yesterday when I got back not only was it empty, it had been positively scoured. There were no sparrows to be seen or heard, and it did cross my mind that they had deserted me. I refilled it, and waited.

A scout was sent. I heard a chirp or two last night. Another scout came to confirm it, and returned to the flock to let them know that the seeds had been replenished.

This morning there's a cacophony out there, and at least a third of the seeds have gone already. Chirp, chirp, chirp... and there is also water for them to wash and drink, a tin tray that I top up from time to time. They stand on its edges in a circle (sparrows like circles: ever seen them standing in a circle around a dandelion plant, feasting on its leaves?).

I was going to write more about last week's gigs but I wrote about birds instead. I'm still processing the gigs!