Creatures of habit

It’s a little blurry, but you can see what they are.

 I watched them at the feeders all winter. Earlier this spring I took inventory of the nests to see how they’d weathered the winter and wondered if they would be attractive enough when the real estate market picked up again. Then I heard the familiar chip chip chip from the treetops, and saw occasional flurries of activity in the viburnum bush. Now, it appears the nursery has been renovated and is ready for another generation.

Last summer we had baby cardinals. I wonder if these are from the original set of parents or if one of their kids brought home a new member of the family.

So now, I’ll try and keep watch through the window so not to disturb the soon-to-be mama. And I’ll worry about them during every storm and hope they built a strong nest. It’s on the back side of the bush, so maybe there’ll have a chance. Then, there’s the squirrels and other critters that like to raid nests. How do I help keep them away?

Of course, after they’re hatched, there’s always the question of whether they’ll fall out of the nest or be taken by the above-mentioned critters. So many things to worry about until they’re grown!

It’s as bad as having children of your own! 🙂