Blue Birds

Five years ago the neighbors' cat killed a female blue bird under the lilac bush. Mike ran to get the bird away and started blowing on it (bird CPR?), but it was really mortally wounded and died within the hour. It was crushingly sad. The male hung around for several weeks but it was forlornly mateless. We didn't have another pair of blue birds nesting in the yard again until this year. They're back!

We have been watching a pair that appears to be nesting over by the shed. They seem to like the deck and make a trip there in the evening as we are cleaning up the supper dishes and in the morning as we are having coffee. from the kitchen sink and from the dining table, we have a great vantage on their deck time activities. They like to plop a fat worm or a bug on the railing and have a bit of a picnic. They are very keen on perching on the metal hanger for the hummingbird feeder and take turns doing that--sitting there surveying the yard. The hummingbirds do not like this development at all but the blue birds hardly seem to notice the histrionics. Well, the hummingbirds have full reign over the deck for quite some time now. I mean there are times when they try to chase Mike and I off the deck, so they do need to be taken down a peg. Birds are so territorial this time of year, but the smaller they are the grander their hostility. Anyway, it's so good to have the blue birds again.