“When nature made the blue-bird she wished to propitiate both the sky and the earth, so she gave him the color of the one on his back and the hue of the other on his breast.”
                                                             ~  John Burroughs

Warm spring days, an invitation to opened French doors. Let the fragrant and mild breezes into your home, filling every room with the very essence of the season. June has arrived with mild temperatures including foggy nights and mornings. The sun breaks through to warm the day. Perfect weather for our gardens and resident creatures … especially the birds.

Our backyard has become the neighborhood aviary. Included are their tiny incubators (nests), safely built by highly skilled feathered architects. The sites are strategically located under house eaves, atop outdoor lights and speakers. So with an abundance of available building materials, heat from almost-summer weather conditions and a little mood music, birds lay their eggs and welcome their new hatchlings into the world.

This year especially the birds have wanted to join our family. Maybe not quite to the extreme as Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, “The Birds.” [Our dog] Abby was the first to experience an avian encounter.

One morning she journeyed out to take a look over her domain and get a drink (outside water tastes best). She immediately returned, whining as if trying to tell me something. Reminded me of Lassie! She led me to her bucket where a baby bird had fallen from its nest  We were too late. Being a retriever, Abby felt a failure at her job. Fortunately, a few days later she was able to save one. She carried it gently to us, and we in turn returned him to the nest.

The week progressed, as did bird encounters. One morning I came into dining room with coffee in hand. Yes, a perfect spring day; even the birds were chirping louder in appreciation. Three of them had slipped in (without reservations) and had found seats – with a view – perched on our chandelier. Startled, two flew out  the door and the other took a wrong turn. Doug came from the living room with that one clinging to his finger. A vision of St. Francis of Assisi came to mind.

The French doors are now closed to visitors. We have our house and they have “free fly” of the yard. Peace returns to the animal kingdom, for now.

In two weeks the summer solstice arrives. The weather is right on schedule to meet this day.

Daytime temperatures in the 80s and the nights in the low 60s continue into next week.

Sue Kilpatrick is a Crescenta Valley
resident and Official Skywarn Spotter for the National Weather Service.
Reach her at  suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick