Bears, Bunnies and Birds (oh my)

Lovely, warm and sunny around the pond today. Life is good.

It’s been raining seeds all day as the hemlock cones have opened and spilled their contents. A light breeze has done the rest. A floating carpet of them covers one end of the pond.

The Chuck/Charleen (who will henceforth be referred to as “it”) sex mystery goes on as it comes and goes from under the porch. Today, it made so much racket down there that my lovely bride jumped up and stomped on the floor in the general area of the noise. It shot out of there like a scalded dog—woodchuck–groundhog–whatever. It ran until it reached the high grass at the end of the yard. I assume it will return. Hopefully with more sensitivity to the feelings of the upstairs neighbors. I may have to talk to the building superintendent.

One of Shari’s favorites, a very small bunny–little more than a handful–has just appeared. Barely visible above the grass, it has waged a daily assault on our front yard spring greens.

The deer have been regular company. The same three does have visited every evening and a small buck grazes on the pond side grass near the porch. In fact, about a half hour ago a doe shot by only feet from the porch where I’m presently typing this note. We watched it graze on the crabapple tree for a few minutes. It then strolled out the driveway, across the road and into the woods.

A bear dropped by yesterday. It nosed around the ledge for a while and meandered into the adjacent woods. Didn’t even say hello.

Birds have been the stars of the day. A great blue heron and a young eagle flew over the pond at tree top level. A very, very small hummingbird has been hitting the hanging baskets, peonies and last gasp of the wild irises. There may be more than one, as this little guy is clearly this year’s issue. We’re talking jelly bean size here. Anyone who has seen a humming bird egg knows what I mean.

The grand finale of the day was a scarlet tanager, one of the most beautiful birds in the Northeast, if not the world. And one of about a dozen that I’ve seen in my entire life. Brilliant, brilliant red orange with jet black wings. Ordinarily very shy birds, this one played around the island for a good half hour before leaving. We’re very flattered that his royal redness deemed to pay us a visit.

All in all, a very good day.