Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
slowly fluttered from the olive tree and weakly landed on a violet leaf, I was saddened. His wings were tattered with many scales missing. Fearing the dogs may squish him, I plucked the leaf and put the leaf and dying butterfly on a tray and we sat on the step overlooking the back yard.
Silence. Not a single cricket chirp. No bird song. Not even the squalking of the gulls. So I sat with my new little friend hoping his transition from this life would be peaceful and that there would be many of his offspring for generations to come.
*SIGH*
Suddenly the sky was filled with Chimney Swifts! EVERYWHERE! I had never seen such a display in my life ( and I am old )! Easily there must have been 150+ Swifts making a marvelous display of the flying ability. On occasion an individual would swoop down to give me a close up view then back up into the sky to rejoin friends. The marvelous encounter lasted at least 30 minutes and they moved on to the west.
Next came the Gold Finches. Maybe 20 or so birds in the trees and on the ground. They were eating seeds and maybe getting nesting materials. They were joined by Black-Capped Chickadees and a host of White-Breasted Nuthatch.
Then a *herd* of Starlings. HOORAY! :-O
The Common Grackles were moving on to start their migration to get away from the Ohio winter to come.
Eight Turkey Vultures circled overhead after all that activity. I thought perhaps I should start moving and that was their hint. I looked down at my butterfly and he had started his migration to another realm.
Yes ... I buried him but was happy we spent time together.
Silence. Not a single cricket chirp. No bird song. Not even the squalking of the gulls. So I sat with my new little friend hoping his transition from this life would be peaceful and that there would be many of his offspring for generations to come.
*SIGH*
Suddenly the sky was filled with Chimney Swifts! EVERYWHERE! I had never seen such a display in my life ( and I am old )! Easily there must have been 150+ Swifts making a marvelous display of the flying ability. On occasion an individual would swoop down to give me a close up view then back up into the sky to rejoin friends. The marvelous encounter lasted at least 30 minutes and they moved on to the west.
Next came the Gold Finches. Maybe 20 or so birds in the trees and on the ground. They were eating seeds and maybe getting nesting materials. They were joined by Black-Capped Chickadees and a host of White-Breasted Nuthatch.
Then a *herd* of Starlings. HOORAY! :-O
The Common Grackles were moving on to start their migration to get away from the Ohio winter to come.
Eight Turkey Vultures circled overhead after all that activity. I thought perhaps I should start moving and that was their hint. I looked down at my butterfly and he had started his migration to another realm.
Yes ... I buried him but was happy we spent time together.
