The Sparrows Have Left Our Birdhouse

With the drama of the robins, who had built their nest on top of a birdhouse right at our living room window, the sparrow family in our birdhouse on our maple tree was almost completely ignored. I would notice them as I came and went through the porch. The male would stand guard and the female would go in and out of the birdhouse on the tree. But, I was so intrigued with the robins that I found myself photographing them and looking at them a lot. The sparrows got short shrift.

The male twittered at us incessantly. He wanted us gone and he meant it--he was angry. We ignored him and carried on with our lives and never got too close to their birdhouse.

It's only recently that I realize that the many sparrows we saw come and go must have included some of the young that had fledged. Yea!

The male on a branch keeping watch.

Checking in, making sure everything is OK.

Keeping watch, as always.

I need to gather more photos of the 8 ft. trebuchet that my husband and son made together... yes, you heard me, I said an 8 ft. trebuchet. It's sitting in front of our shed in our backyard. They made it! And, they intend to fire it!! They're going to shoot off some tennis balls, or nerf balls or some other not-too-painful projectiles and see how far they can make them fly through our park. Practice runs have been disappointing. They've only heaved things into our elderly neighbor's yard. Conversation about increasing the counter weight and shortening the rope... or, should they lengthen the rope?

And, I should really go do the dishes and put in a load of laundry.

I don't feel like doing anything domestic. I'd much rather watch the birds come and go and get angry and twitter at us and feed their young and shepherd them away on their maiden flights.

I could watch animals being domestic forever.