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Voices of Spencer Creek
The robins are taking a break today. For more than a week, they've been systematically stripping the holly trees of their bright red fruit, scattering twigs and yellowed leaves, and dropping dunamany berries as they work. But today they are bathing.
Outside the kitchen window is the inverted cast iron pot-lid, orphaned, that serves as fountain and public bath. There's been a robin in it, dipping and flinging, nearly every time I looked out the window today. I just stopped to watch, and saw one fly up into the plum tree and another take his place. A third "worked worms" until the second left, and he was nearly in the water when I went out to fertilize the rhodies nearby.
Then it was that I discovered the rest of the picture. The plum tree is blossoming orange with freshly washed robins. They're hanging out, fluffing their feathers, and discussing whatever it is that robins do discuss, on a lovely sunny afternoon in February. Only the one on the ground seemed to respond to my presence, the others were too busy with their chatter to pay me any attention. I did my thing and left, promising not to return for now.
I'll watch and enjoy from inside the house--once again caught up in the magic of spring.
February 2004
Edie Self is a member of the Spencer Butte Writer's group>
Visit Edie Self's writing at West By Northwest.org and follow the links:
The Sunnyside of Spencer Butte: Two Winter Tales and Birding on the Butte
© Copyright 2000-2004 by West By Northwest.org
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