When I was a kid growing up in rural South Windsor, CT, I
would hop on my bike and ride down the street, usually with no destination in
mind. Freedom was the only thing on my mind. During the spring and summer, I
would pass a marshy area just past my house and the red-winged blackbird that
nested there would chase me. It became a game that I always won…of course. Even
today, if I should drive down that street just for old times sake, I slow down,
as I go past the marsh, just to remember that small piece of my childhood. If I
am on my bike (yes, I still ride a bike), I speed up because there is a new
generation of red-wing in that marsh and I still get chased, and I still win!
Today is the first day of spring…even though I still have a
foot of snow on the ground and it’s cold and windy…and we are expecting more
snow this afternoon into tomorrow morning. However, there was a bright spot for
me this morning.
As I cradled my cup of hot coffee and gazed out on the area
where I feed the birds, there was a red-winged blackbird! And before I knew it,
the rest of the flock joined him. It didn’t take long before their aggressive
behavior expressed itself. They were jockeying for space even as they gobbled
up as much seed as they could. They continued to fly in, argue with each other,
then fly off as a flock…only to come back again and again. I guess they liked
what I was serving.
This is why I feed the birds. The benefits are mutual. But,
bringing back a childhood memory is a bonus.
