I guess the warblers built that nest in the spring. It's so perfect, so very smooth inside. Incredible workbirdship. Crows' nests are like an abandoned game of Jenga in comparison. Apparently, sparrows in Mexico City put cigarette butts in their nests. Not just because they're there, it seems, but because they deter mites. Nicotine is a powerful anti-pest substance - hence all the pesticides made our of neo-nicotinoids. They are doing as much harm to the environment as smoking does to a person's lungs. At least the smoking helps the sparrows.
My dad's next door neighbour burst an old pillow in his garden in spring one year and that immediate down-storm attracted flocks of birds. All the feathers were gone in a day. Or so I recall.
For humans, winter's the nesting time. You want blankets and cushions and throws and comfy clothes. You want heat and treats and flickering light. You want Hygge. That's the Danish term for a kind of companionable coziness. The cats always want Hygge.
I wonder if birds feel cozy when they roost together and fluff out their feathers? It's funny to imagine cozy crows.
The last volunteer days were cancelled as there was so much tornado-damage on the reserves and the officers were all busy with that. I thought we could have helped but I guess they didn't need to be overseeing us. As it happens, on a chilly day I was happy enough to be in the house. Apart from a cold run and frigid walks in the park.
My shoes are now all muddy and damp. Autumn leaves come in the door unasked. It will be like this for months. The salad days are over for another year.
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