“Knock, knock, knock,” came the sound from the back part of the house.
“What was that?” I asked my dog Nemo.
He looked interested for a minute, then put his head back on his paws. Oh well, my fearless watchdog wasn’t worried, so I resumed writing.
“Tap-tap-bang!” The noise came again.
“OK, ” I said to Nemo, “I’m investigating.”
I walked to the patio door and saw a robin standing on the deck, looking rather puzzled. Now, robins are some of my favorite birds, quiet, unassuming, the first creatures awake of a spring morning (except for me) and I sure like their cheery song.
So, I shrugged and went back to typing. When I heard that same mysterious clamor, I tiptoed to the back, taking care not to move quickly and there, on the deck was that robin. She (or he) flew at the glass door, striking it with her bill and leaving a muddy little mark with each strike.
“Goofy bird,” I scolded. “Do you want to do yourself in?”
Was she seeing the reflection of trees in the glass and thinking she could build a nest among those mirrored branches? Was she angry at the world and trying to break that stubborn, thick pane, or was there some other bird-brained reason for her actions?
Not wanting her to do herself harm, I moved the sticky hearts, put on my windows to warn birds, down a bit, directly in her line of vision. Now, at least, she would know there was something in front of her, something solid and impenetrable. And, that ended the frustrated knocking. She didn’t return.
I’ve confessed that a robin is one of my favorite birds but that doesn’t mean I admire their intellect. Each spring, because of their mothers’ poor nest-building skills, baby robins tumble to their deaths before they are ready to fly. And, robins invariably come north while snow covers the ground, causing many to starve to death. I’m sure, to that befuddled robin, her actions made sense. To me, they didn’t.
A woodpecker, like the one in the picture, is a bird of a different feather. They do a lot of good by extracting harmful insects from the bark of trees. They can also be the cause for mysterious sounds when they light on a chimney and peck for bugs caught in the rain guard over the chimney top. Instead of being annoyed by the puzzling actions of the feathered creatures, I am entertained. The robins and woodpeckers are back. Thunderstorms are rattling the heavens. Can it be that spring is nearly here?
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