Listening

I've yet again spent rather a lot of time today watching our resident birds. My grandmother was a great lover of birds, and would point out her local favorites when we went on walks in her neighborhood, which were always at a slow pace to suit our young legs and the languor brought on by the hot, humid weather where she lived. Sometimes I feel as though I'm channeling her, given how much pleasure our "feathered friends" give me!

This beautiful Chestnut-backed Chickadee and its "cousin," the Black-capped Chickadee (see extra) are year-round residents here. Both are on the small side:
-- Chestnut-backed Chickadees are 3.9-4.7 inches long (10-12cm) and tip the scales at 0.2-0.4 ounces (7-12 g).
-- Black-capped Chickadees are a little larger, measuring 4.7-5.9 inches long (12-15 cm) and weighing 0.3-0.5 ounces (9-14 g).
I'm very grateful to have the time in retirement to get to know some of the other denizens of this little patch of Earth that I call home! 

This poem by Wendell Berry means even more to me now, in what seems to be a sustained period of unremitting unrest.

(Added later: I didn't spend the whole day birdwatching -- see Phil's blip!)
 
Blip 1590