The Robin

I think we made a bird-friend today. This morning I went out to the back yard with my morning coffee and some pencils and a sketch pad. I wanted to enjoy the spring sunshine while I worked out some recent ideas. There was a robin that was very happy that I had spent some time the day before turning the soil in our garden. He would hop along, and then stop to listen, then hop over and jab at the ground to find worms and other juicy things in the freshly turned earth. What was amazing to me was how fearless he appeared to be of me, the human. Once I noticed him, I tried to stay still and make no sudden movements so I could watch him. He came as close as about twelve inches from my foot at times! Even when he saw me move, he wasn’t scared away.

Later, when Tom joined me, he was just as unafraid. As Tom and I spoke to each other, he seemed to look right at us at times and see that we were there but he just didn’t mind! Just went right on about his business of hunting. I snuck away and came back with my camera. He let me come real close, and with the terrific zoom capability of my camera I got some real detailed shots! I now have some great reference photos if I ever want to paint a robin.

Later a mockingbird showed up and sang for us a bit, but flew away before I could photograph him. Then I saw a wren today too. Maybe it’s because I’d been feeding the birds all winter and they came to know my house as a place they could eat and hang out?!