While the world of humans concerns itself with politics, business, war, tragedy, sports and celebrity gossip, nature flourishes. This morning while sipping my morning chai, my cat and I gaze out into the backyard and quietly observe birds of every kind diving from tree to tree plucking berries and seeds from the trees and shrubs. A charm of house finches flit between the Autumn purple ash, pyracantha shrub and one finch couple’s birdhouse. Slight movements by one and all of them take off in a sweeping fan momentarily landing on a new perch until one of them jumps onto a branch of a mate and teases it. A game of tag ensues and the whole tree is in motion with flight. In between their raucous play, they happily eat the plump pyracantha berries. These berries are known to give birds a buzz. Looks as though it has a bigger kick than my chai!
Gilded flicker woodpeckers are more sedately concentrating on collecting fallen elderberries while a nearby gray dove does the same. The blue jays must be on the same wavelength as the finches for they are chasing one another between snatching berries from the hawthorn, elderberry and pyracantha. Why limit your diet? It is a veritable feast out there as plants distill their final burst of energy into pushing out as much progeny in the form of seeds as possible. There is more than enough for all and every species is partying together and sharing a good time. Perhaps a lesson for us humans.
Gilded flicker woodpeckers are more sedately concentrating on collecting fallen elderberries while a nearby gray dove does the same. The blue jays must be on the same wavelength as the finches for they are chasing one another between snatching berries from the hawthorn, elderberry and pyracantha. Why limit your diet? It is a veritable feast out there as plants distill their final burst of energy into pushing out as much progeny in the form of seeds as possible. There is more than enough for all and every species is partying together and sharing a good time. Perhaps a lesson for us humans.