Nesting

A pair of House Finches raised their four babies in my hanging fern. The babies have hatched and flown away but the sweet nest remains, albeit a little worse for wear. Mostly, we used the garage entrance while they were raising the family. Watering the ferns would panic them and they would fly to a nearby tree, nervously chattering among themselves. Over time they grew used to my presence. I miss listening to mom and dad and the peeping of the babies.

I am finding this area houses a great many songbirds due to the dense tree cover and the drainage creek that flows behind the house. A Yellow Breasted Chat - which I've never seen before and was only vaguely familiar with - collided with my sliding glass door last week. I hear many warblers and sparrow varieties, along with thrasher and thrush and others. The Eastern Towhee family are constant companions. Cedar Waxwings trill non-stop, and there are many bird songs I have yet to identify. It's a constant source of amazement, the music that plays outside day and night.

Down the road in a drainage creek lives a rather large snapping turtle. Rabbits, chipmunks and squirrels keep me entertained. Smaller hawks surprise me from time to time. I've heard owls but not seen them, seen bats but not heard them. The presence of so much wildlife is comforting to me.