Garden Visitors

The birds are here every morning.

They arrive before the sun peaks over the tree tops and warms up the patio. Chickadees, robins, mourning doves, finches, cardinals, downy woodpeckers, Carolina wrens, nuthatches and the tufted titmouse are just a few of the garden residents and visitors.

 I love them all, but, my favorite is the tufted titmouse. (see A Pert Little Fellow)

He's a pert little fellow with a jaunty crest, dark eyes, mouse gray feathering and a touch of rust under his wings.

The Tufted Titmouse is common in eastern deciduous forests and can be found year round at most backyard feeders. They are bold and curious birds and will even approach the feeders while I am filling them. I've not tried to coax them to be hand fed like others have with Chickadees, but, I do have a good nodding acquaintance with my resident birds and the mixed species flock members that visit in the winter!

TUTI, as they are referred to in the literature, are insect, seed and berry eaters and appreciate a garden that offers them tasty spider eggs, cocoons and insects hiding in the dead leaves (see Gardening For Wildlife) As you can see in this post, they'll happily forage at feeders!

They're one of a few perching birds that can use their feet to hold seeds while they break them open

I met TUTI the first winter I moved to Nashville when my two best friends from college and I moved into a big rental house with a wild backyard. Once upon a time it had been a wonderful garden of small trees and flowering shrubs. The former owners had built brick paths that meandered through the garden and there was a small patio that was visible from the breakfast nook.

The neglected garden was a haven for blue jays, mockingbirds, doves, cardinals, robins and, many birds new to me. That first winter we filled the abandoned bird feeder and watched them every morning over coffee. That's how I met Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse, two of the most charming birds one could ever meet.

They were entertaining to watch; Chickadee was by far the more acrobatic as he teetered on the tiniest of swaying branches, but, Titmouse's large black eyes, brushy crest and cocked head stole my heart.

 I enjoy all the birds that visit my garden (except the starlings). What I've noticed is that each species seems to have have its own personality!

Some are just outright precious.

Some deserve their reputations as bossy and aggressive.

Some are friendly and eagerly share the garden with the gardener.

Some are absolutely beautiful, but, have no idea what's going on!

Some, like Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal, must be the star and try to scare other cardinal visitors from their territory.

Finally, some will win your heart and keep it forever! I wonder if you've found that to be true?

xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.