Oh, Joyous Day!

Day 133: A dozen or so Porch Parrots showed up this morning...excuse me, Evening Grosbeaks, Coccothraustes vespertinus...demanding that black-oil sunflower seeds be refreshed in all three feeders. Second only to Crows and Ravens in my book, I darted out the door with birdseed bucket in one hand, cell phone on the other, because Porchies must not be kept waiting. Even with the trays full, there were still a few face-offs, the antagonists looking even more grumpy than usual with their heavy "eyebrows" drawn down in a perpetual frown.

These delightful birds come seasonally here, although the date of their arrival ranges broadly from January to May. Their departure is a bit more predictable. Trained for avian generations to my feeding stations, they will often hang around until late September, assured that the food source is abundant and reliable. A couple hundred pounds of black-oil seed will be doled out before their season comes to a close, and every cent spent on a healthy diet is returned in the enjoyment I derive from having them flock to the yard. Welcome home, my little friends!