In previous years on this rented property, we have seldom seen birds right at the windows due to the prevailing cat population-- it's a farm property that has long had "employee cats" to keep barn rats away from the house, so... the prettier birds have settled the tallest trees only.

We'd see the occasional hummingbird come onto the front porch to buzz the red berries on the pine-hedge... But altho we set out feeders, it was never really a place they would choose to settle. Not enough "flars," I guess, as our dear Giac used to call them.

Then, one year, a big tall tree by the back porch went down. The mourning doves that had nested there, noting that the cat population had dwindled (we replaced outdoor employees with indoor ones), began to settle in the very tall (untrimmed) piney shrub-trees. We had allowed these to grow wild all around the rear, stone-flagged porch.

For several years we sat and played music with friends on the FRONT porch, so we discouraged swallows from nesting there-- where they'd poop on guests' heads. We encouraged them to nest in the upper niches of the back porch, so they'd keep the 'skeeters' numbers down (near the door we use most).

A further opportunity for cat-free lodging came when the last of the outdoor predators broke a leg. She did not come to report this until it had already healed badly, and she can't really climb into those pine shrub-trees.

Now, this year we are turning that back porch into the sitting porch, and using the front one just for dry storage. So we eradicated the old back-porch swallows' nest I used to watch from my sink window, and I was sad to know I would not see them there anymore except as I sit typing near the front porch windows. But I thought it was a good tradeoff, and I'd just step outside to see birds this year anyhow.


But I see we have been given a fabulous gift, this year, to fill that space in the back porch ecology: an incautious lady cardinal has not only taken up residence in one of the tall shrubs, where it's been just mourning doves ad sparrows-- she's sitting on it right outside the living room window that faces south.

We see her (and her mate, now, feeding her?), flitting in and out between the covering branches. A bright red flash when he calls, and the less obvious back-winged landing of the lady to her nest. Brave girl-- the cats sleep inside, on that windowsill, inches from her.

But she is safe. She's out there now, undaunted by pouring, cold spring rain, settin' them eggs. I just saw the Mr. flash in and out too, a-visitin' her.

Her shrub is across from the back door, and JUST far enough from that and the BBQ to have gone ahead and laid the eggs, even when our activities out there busied up after she'd built the nest, in the last few weeks. Silly bird, crazy bird-- glorioouis bird!

Truly, a gift, TBTG.

~Susan