A Move Makes Me Wonder About the Care of My Birds
For almost six years at our current house, I have cultivated a loyal following of winged friends: c
hestnut-backed chickadees, Anna's hummingbirds, house finches, goldfinches, scrub jays, stellar jays, nuthatches, woodpeckers, tufted titmouses. There are more, I'm sure.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will be moving to a new house on a ridge surrounded by views and orchards. My ethical and moral dilemma is that I don't know how to write a note to my feathered friends to tell them not to worry -- I've found good tenants who will continue to fill the feeders.
I'd like, also, to tell them that they can come visit just a short distance -- less than 2 miles -- away. Patty had an idea to leave them a Google map with the location of the new house; I didn't reject it: they are, I'm sure, smarter than we give them credit for. (See Irene Pepperburg's book Alex and Me about her thirty years' of research with a parrot.)
These ar
e my friends; they owe me nothing but to fly, eat, sing and live. I have come to know them intimately and...I will miss them. Is that OK? Even though I have a bobcat and a kite (a raptor!) at the new house, I'll miss these guys. And, I'll work to cultivate another following of flying animals who provide just a bit of validation to a fellow being: me.
For almost six years at our current house, I have cultivated a loyal following of winged friends: c
hestnut-backed chickadees, Anna's hummingbirds, house finches, goldfinches, scrub jays, stellar jays, nuthatches, woodpeckers, tufted titmouses. There are more, I'm sure. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be moving to a new house on a ridge surrounded by views and orchards. My ethical and moral dilemma is that I don't know how to write a note to my feathered friends to tell them not to worry -- I've found good tenants who will continue to fill the feeders.
I'd like, also, to tell them that they can come visit just a short distance -- less than 2 miles -- away. Patty had an idea to leave them a Google map with the location of the new house; I didn't reject it: they are, I'm sure, smarter than we give them credit for. (See Irene Pepperburg's book Alex and Me about her thirty years' of research with a parrot.)
These ar
e my friends; they owe me nothing but to fly, eat, sing and live. I have come to know them intimately and...I will miss them. Is that OK? Even though I have a bobcat and a kite (a raptor!) at the new house, I'll miss these guys. And, I'll work to cultivate another following of flying animals who provide just a bit of validation to a fellow being: me.
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