this one is for the birds

Well the birds,  and my little bird-lover, that is.

My son is fascinated by birds.  He loves watching them ( I have birdhouses right outside the playroom window and in our backyard) and he loves watching them at Grandma Martha's house.

Speaking of Grandma Martha (my dear mom) she has always loved birds.  I remember when I was younger she would say, "Oh look at that wren.  Look at that cardinal.  I really don't like the crows and bluejays because they bully the other ones."

And I would smile and say, "Yep,  that's nice."

I really couldn't understand her fascination with birds.  I mean,  jeez.....birds are everywhere.   I thought watching birds were the most boring creatures on earth and how in the world would you find them so interesting?

And then I became a Mother myself.  And I keep acting like more like my Mom each day.  Now I find it an honorable trait......when I was teenager,  I swore I'd never act like her.  

I remember calling mom one afternoon when I found a nest in one of my hanging flower-baskets.  I remember it clearly because I was at home alone with Zander and pregnant with Kaya when Matt was out of town.  I remember because I went outside to water my flowers when the door was open and a bird flew into my house.  I was freaked out!  I ran to the neighbor's house and begged her husband to come over and get the thing out....what do you do with a stinking bird in your house? 

So after the neighbor's husband got the bird out I figured out it was trying to attack me because I was trying to water the nest.

So.....after all the drama,  I call Mom. " There is a nest in my flower basket......isn't that exciting.  I moved it so we could look at it!!!  Isn't that great?"

Mom says,  "You moved it.  What kind of bird is it?"

Me, "I don't know.  Some kind of brown bird, I guess."

I could feel her disgust through the phone.  "Korisa,  you can't move a nest.  The mom may not come back now and the babies will die."  I of course,  the all-knowing daughter I am, says, "Oh, it is fine.   I didn't touch the nest."

Well, the babies hatched.....but no one came to feed them.  And it killed me that I was the true murderer in this case.  

So the next time I talk to my bird-watching mom, she asks..."You still don't know what kind of bird it is?".  "No mom, I don't.  They all look like birds to me."

She replies,  "Well I thought everyone could identify birds.  I got bird flashcards when I was a little girl.  So  I could identify birds."

Well......isn't that nice.

Flash forward a few years.......Zander has Grandma Martha's genes.

I guess I may have her genes too.  After I felt so bad about killing the baby birds...I wanted some bird houses and flowers.  We are on our way.........like I tell one neighbor friend of mine.....we will soon look like the botanical gardens of Atlanta.   I DO TRULY love my birds and flowers now.......isn't it funny how life changes?

We spend every pretty morning now looking at the birds.  I'm pretty proud of myself.  I can now identify a few of the birds and actually look forward to the bird-watching with Zan before Kaya wakes up.

We have 3 big bird feeders that we fill up all the time and watch.  But we were really thrilled yesterday when we found this nest.  (I don't touch it or move anything in the tree around it).  I noticed it at dinner time because the male and female cardinal bird kept going to that tree and chasing other birds away.......(I'm truly amazed I suddenly realized a nest might be there then).

Last night before bed, Zander told his Dad I'm going to get up and watch the birds.

He was right,  we did.
We did see the cardinal bird several times, but that pesky thing doesn't stay still long enough to take a picture.  But there is the nest ( I think it is the cardinal nest, anyway).

But then we started watching the finches.  They come around all the time.

After our 2 1/2 hours of bird-watching (no kidding),  I got us dressed to do a little birthday shopping for one of our favorite friends.  I told Zander that we could also shop for a bird book.

I thought  we could find  a book more similar to the one on the left.  Just a general book about birds.  But no,  Zander wanted something else (which he bought with his piggy-bank money).  He just had the have the bird-watcher's guide with sounds.  I told him if he got this, he couldn't get anything else,  because it was at least $24.00 even with my Barnes and Noble discount.  ( Of course, I'm a big liar because I did get he and Kaya some more chapter books with my cash...I'm frugal unless it comes to books).  

He was too cute though.......I would happily pay $24.00 of my own money, not the piggy-bank money......just to have the moments I'm about to share.

After we found the book in the "adult" section of bird books,  we went back to the children's reading section.  Zan sat there and "read" his book while Kaya "read" books of her own.  I found an easier bird book to read.  Well it is written for 5-8 year olds.........but I guess I'm reading it and he likes that kind of stuff.  He doesn't like the "easy science" books anymore.

We had to call Grandma Martha and tell her about our new book.  She said,   "That is so funny.  Zander has a book with bird sound in it and I had bird flashcards."  

I'm thinking,  "Our information devices has changed.....but our love for nature has stayed the same."  

And Zander is in LOVE.  In LOVE with birds.  That is all I've heard about today.  So much, that sometimes,  I just want to say " Good grief with the birds!  We have seen them!  It is great!"

But I don't say that,  I want to encourage any interest he has in nature.

This will show you how much in LOVE he is in with his new Bird Book.  He told me earlier today, "This is my very special book, Mom.  I will keep it forever."

And here it is looking at it.............during his 20-minute allotted time of Handy-Manny each day.  He is a true bird- study-guide!
He also had to show his new book to Dad........