birds

This has been a great spring for birds. In addition to the "regular customers" (juncos, black-capped chickadees, spotted towhees, goldfinches), we've had some mighty handsome visitors:

lazuli buntings

the flicker

wild turkeys

western tanagers

and sometimes the fanciest ones together

Both of the girls have special connections with birds. Funnypants has been surrounded by sandhill cranes since she was born. There was a pair of sandhill cranes circling overhead on her first walk outside (a few days old), and all this spring we've had sandhill cranes flying right over the house. Not usual for us. Must be for Funnypants. She has repaid them by making "bird" her first attempt at a word. (see first video at bottom of post)

Sweet Pea has taken to swinging in the hammock on the porch (I've given up trying to make her understand it isn't actually MEANT to be a swing and taken to just hoping the hook I put into the wall doesn't pull our shoddy house down) while talking a blue streak to the birds. (see second video at bottom of post)

She tells them all sorts of things, and in appreciation, the chickadees, pine siskins, and even a goldfinch have let her get about thisclose to them. 

Continuing the mutual love fest, she composed this ode to the robins in the yard before going to sleep:

flight

flight flight

robins fly very light

up in the sky

not to me

The last word was originally "thy" but when I told her what it meant, she decided to replace it with "me". Sounds very existential, now, doesn't it? Ask me what THAT word means, and I'll probably have to change MY sentence, too...