A group of redwing black birds were at my feeder to greet me this morning. One of the advantages of having the big beaver ponds right in the backyard has been spending twenty-three years getting to know this marshland bird.
Some may not see them as exceptionally beautiful if they are looking for a brightly or unusually colored bird like the summer tanager or one that has incredible markings like the evening grosbeak. And it is true that I fell in love with them first because of their song that I heard all spring and summer out working in the garden. But once I was already in love, seeing the red winged blackbird close up sunk it for me.
Dark shinny black with the most striking contrast of red and yellow epaulets, it is a truly beautiful bird. But yes. the red winged blackbird calls and songs are what I look forward to the most.
Four year old little Stephanie, now twenty-seven years old, and I dubbed it the coco cleo bird when we first heard his song our first spring here at the farm. His song rings loud and clear across the pond all during spring and summer. Once we finally connected the singer with the song he was not the elusive fellow we first thought him to be.
It was rather unusual in my mind to see such a largish bird perched on grass. Little light weight finches on a dandelion stem is understandable but the redwinged black bird seem rather large to perch on grass blades. Yes, he goes to the trees and he certainly visits up by the house and the bird feeders but his common place is hanging on to the side of a sturdy blade of orchard grass pond side.
Two summers ago the girls and I found a redwinged black bird nest on the edge of one of the ponds out back, it was woven of grass using the upright blades of grass as support. It was fascinating to say the least and it was the one time we were sad to leave for vacation and not stay home and watch the hatch and growth of the baby blackbirds.
Dear Reader I hope you appreciated the colored font as my hint of the colors of the red winged black bird, it was the best I could do in lieu of pictures, have a singing good day, evening, weekend, whatever, stay well and thankful that you are God’s, and if you’re not maybe this weekend would be a good time to ponder that whole thing and accept who you are and who He is.
