Bird-watching

We have so many different birds at our suet feeder this year. Cardinals rule it, until the Blue Jay shows up. But the chickadees, Tufted Titmouse (mice?), Hairy woodpeckers, and even sparrows squawk over it whenever possible.

I love to watch them. They are so busy, and their little social interactions are quite amazing. I did see a squirrel hanging off the roof of the feeder, stealing seeds. But I have not seen him since.

Ben and Dixie do not share my love of birds. The are pretty much oblivious to the feathered creatures. I can only think of once or twice that they have propped their feet on the window sill and stared outward. Ben will watch out the window if someone is walking along the street. To be sure they don't suddenly decide to attack the house, he will give a soft woof-- rather under his breath. This works because Dixie then takes up the cause and comes barreling through the house at top speed, barking ferociously enough to keep the zombie apocalypse at bay. It works, for we have not seen zombies here.

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Freki, on the other hand, loves to look out the window. She watches the birds, the squirrels, the neighbors. This morning she is watching the garbage truck. She watches Dad leave in the morning, and looks for him to come home. She gets very excited about this and dances and whines when his car pulls up.

She can get sidetracked by window-watching while playing, and I will sometimes find a toy on the windowsill where she placed it in order to concentrate on whatever is going on outside.

(An aside: It is hilarious watching her play with her toys. She can entertain herself, and comes up with interesting games. Her favorite new inside toy is a plastic juice bottle in a sock. It works great to keep her from chewing pieces off the plastic, but still gives that lovely, crunchy sound.)

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I love that she is so interested in things. It is so great to watch her explore her world. She has quite a range of visual concept, from the squirrel on the power line way overhead, to the toy I just hid under a blanket.  She will wait on that silly squirrel to fall (they don't) for long periods of time, watching him move from tree to tree, shaking its tail at her. And she understands that just because the toy is now out of sight, doesn't mean it no longer exists. She will get it.

Really, the only downside from her interest in things outside, is the occasional muddy footprints on the white window sill...

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