Yellow Bird

It is fun being up early and hearing all the birds. The sky lightens and the birds sing.

Most recently I heard the chirping of a new bird I did not recall noticing before. It was a kind of sweet warbling. Hahahaa... That makes me think of this editor I worked with once, Rick. Rick Stanley. Whenever we were writing that someone sang we would write that he or she "warbled." Then we would sit there and laugh.

Anyway. This bird was warbling. And I am wondering: What bird is this?

It sounded so loud!

So for the first time I thought: Maybe I can see the bird! It was almost a joke. I can never see the bird. I left Leonard Pennario for a moment and I turned to the window.

And there it was! Sitting on a branch.

This fat little yellow bird!

It was a pale yellow but at the same time bright. I could not believe I saw it. I did not expect to see the bird and also I did not expect it to be yellow.

I did some research and I do believe it was a goldfinch. Apparently goldfinch are common but I never remember being aware of them before. But the song sounded close to what I heard.

It was easier than identifying St. Luke!

Dove above

Yesterday after work I put in a few hours on the book. And it was magical because although it was cold outside the air was full of the call of the mourning dove.

All this cooing! It was just Leonard Pennario and the mourning doves.

As soon as I wrote that word just now I heard it again.

Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!

The mourning dove is a bird of controversy, I learned the other day after writing something on Facebook about hearing its lovely call. A friend wrote in that she associated it with death, that every time she heard the mourning dove call, somebody died. I got in touch with her trying to set her straight, that we lose people but it has nothing to do with mourning doves.

I would hate if someone could not appreciate this beautiful bird call. God knows we have enough crud to listen to in life, you know?

Plus in the last few years I have been more into my faith and that makes me impatient with superstitions.

Oh, man. The most wonderful thing just happened while I was ruminating on all of this. I glanced out the window and this bird was swooping into the yard next door. It was a gray bird with a white tail.

It was a mourning dove!!

I had never seen a mourning dove in my life. Well, If I did, I did not recognize it. I always recognized the call but not the bird. But just five minutes before, writing this Web log, I had studied a picture of a mourning dove...

.. and I saw the white tail and I was able to recognize the bird.

Hello, mourning dove!

While I sat staring at it another mourning dove glided in and joined the first. You always hear that, that doves always come in pairs. ...

.. and sure enough. Hence the phrase "lovey-dovey."

The mourning doves sat next door for a while and I watched them, enchanted. Then one flew away and after a couple of minutes the other one flew after it and joined it.