The supplies arrived, fellers!

Last evening the UPS man staggered to the door with a giant box, marked HEAVY, as if you needed help in realizing this, containing the winter's supply of absolutely best quality bird food for our patio friends, courtesy of honorary granddaughter Heather.  Not only is there a great supply, she thoughtfully arranged for it to be selected in several smaller amounts, so that I could actually lift it!  good thinking.

I installed the first lot in the feeder this morning, first seed it's had since last winter, and before I even finished putting the cap back on I could hear birds excitedly tweeting the news around.  As I was thinking, gosh you'd think they'd never fed at the feeder before, I suddenly realized that a lot of these birds were born in the last season and so never had fed here before! no wonder they're excited.  Ooh, Ethel, look at this, it's, it's, it's a buffet for us!  no tickets, just fly up and dig in.  Whoa!

And I had hardly got the door shut after me before a pair of woodpeckers, a pair of tufted titmouses (mice?) a flock of juncoes and a pair of those redbreasted housefinches that look like dyed sparrows, were all pushing and shoving and arguing about first dibs.

These are just the first responders.  Still to come are the nuthatches, bluejays, wrens, cardinals, doves and maybe yellow warblers, which stay all year.

The cats are happy with their new floorshow and airshow out there, and I'm so pleased to sit and drink tea and watch the circus! Great gift, thank you!  And even as I typed that, the wrens arrived,and the chickadees.  It's a winter madhouse out there, I tell you.  My pictures are of the unnatural calm  and quiet before the trees disgorged the crowds, flocks, and coveys.