Bird Lessons 102

"To all the birds, from the smallest to the largest, we send our joyful greetings and thanks." ~from Robin Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass.

A year ago, we wrote about lessons we had learned from the birds in Bird Lessons 101. This past year, we learned more lessons from bird-watching excursions and observations, during our music travels and daily lives, and we would like to share them with you here.

Dean birdwatching with Mom at Egan's Creek on Amelia Island

From the Carolina Wren: come with courage

Dean likes to split wood the old-fashioned way (he started doing this during COVID for exercise, and he never stopped), and this winter, he kept a splitting pile in the garage (we have a three-bay standalone garage, made of cinder block, with an open front and an open door out the back). One day in February, we were unloading music gear in the bay adjacent to the wood pile, and a Carolina Wren flew in the back door, as inconspicuously as it could. We went about our business, observing it out of the corners of our eyes, and it went about its business as well, flying over to feed on whatever insects were in the wood and then hopping over to a windowsill, further away from us. This tiny little wren inspired us with its courage, continuing to come back for more even though we were standing only a few feet away.

From the Pileated Woodpecker: persevere

Pileated Woodpeckers love the trees that border our lane, and we will often hear them before we see them. Inevitably, they bring a smile to our faces with their gorgeous shock of red (especially against the dull winter landscape), their loud laughing-cry, and their committed headbanging as they drill into the bark (as 80's kids who loved headbanging hair bands, and headbanging to hair bands, we can't help but reminisce as we watch them). They keep at it until they get what they want!

From the Northern Harrier: hang out and help

We have seen a female Harrier hanging out on our property for a while now. Her favorite spot is in a male Osage orange tree, one that spreads its branches wide and low and overlooks the bottom of the pasture. We were clearing the snow from the top of the Retro (our camper) when we saw her land in the top of one of our sycamores with nesting materials in her mouth. She did not stay there, but we hope she sticks around. Her presence, hanging out and watching over us, has been comforting, and we have not had any mice in the house this winter as we travelled (which is a first!)

The Osage orange tree from uphill looking down at the bottom of the pasture

From the Dunlins: dine together

When we visit northern Florida, a favorite birding spot is Spoonbill Pond on Big Talbot Island, and we never know how many or what types of wading and shorebirds we will see. During our recent trip, the water was low, and we saw hundreds of Dunlins in the mud, enjoying a feeding frenzy. It was fun to watch their commitment as a group, feasting together.

Dunlins and other shore and wading birds at Spoonbill Pond

From the Tundra Swans: tell it!

While performing in Delaware, we set out for the Assawoman Wildlife Area, hoping to see a few tundra swans; we saw dozens, not just a few, and we not only saw them, but we also heard them, loud and clear. A mute swan flew over to join them, and the much smaller tundra swans joined in a chorus, apparently to chase it away. The lesson here is not to gang up on the mute swan in the group. Instead, we take from the tundra swans the inspiration to sing out loudly and clearly.

From the Red-winged Blackbird: balance

In south-central Pennsylvania, Red-winged Blackbirds leave for the winter, and their trill is an exciting sign that spring is here to stay. We were surprised to learn that they are year-round residents in Delaware, and we were happy to hear and see them from their perches on the tall grasses in the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

Boardwalk Trail at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

From the American Robin: rock on!

Even as the snow falls in late February, the robin, a year-round resident at our homestead in PA, sings its beautiful song. "Rockin' Robin" continues to be a crowd favorite, and we like to sing it every chance that we get, celebrating the robin and "every little bird in the tall oak tree" (swallows, chickadees, ravens, owls, and crows get a shout out in this song as well!) Try singing "tweet tweet, tweedle-leedle-lee" without smiling and getting up to dance!

~with love and warmth,

Vicki & Dean

The Villones