Thelma Dalmas: Birds provide constant entertainment

Although I don’t watch television much and hardly ever go to a movie, I still consider myself a big fan of visual entertainment. Of course, it is the birds that put on a show for me and I tune in to that every day. I usually have the same view out of my dining room window, so you might think that the whole thing would get boring after a while. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The only thing that is constant in nature is change and each day brings its own particular drama. Every season provides different scenery and right now I am entranced by the gaudy design of autumn. The hill behind my house is covered in brilliant color with bright red sourwoods contrasting against the golden shades of the hickory trees. The tulip poplar is already shedding its flashy, yellow costume and by early December all of the hardwoods will be in somber, brown winter tones.

Some of the actors outside my window remain constant and others are what I like to term seasonal players. I can always count on the chickadees and titmice to put on a fine performance as they scurry back and forth to the sunflower seed feeder. Recently I’ve been entranced by the itinerant group that hurries through my yard on their way to an appointment farther south. A few weeks ago I saw a brand new species for my yard when an orange-crowned warbler stopped in for a visit.

One or two of the winter crew are already on site now. White-throated sparrows scuttle underneath the feeder trying to out-hustle the chipmunks for the scattered seeds. A tiny brown creeper was propped up stiffly against the trunk of an oak tree today poking between the ragged bark to see what might be hiding there. Soon the purple finches will return and maybe I’ll be lucky enough to see a red-breasted nuthatch this year.

Of course the story line is always changing. Back in the summer everything was about raising a family. One morning I watched an enterprising titmouse, who was in the process of nest building, try to pluck a bit of fur from my little dog. Right now everyone is busy getting organized for the winter, planning ahead to locate just the right roosting spot for a cold, snowy night or guarding the berry supply from interlopers.

So, if you are looking for real entertainment, turn off the television, forget about the movies, and instead just look out the window. The potential for anything is right there. You never have to change the channel because the show will always be new, the plot full of twists, and the potential for surprise ever present. When you consider who the director is, how could it be otherwise?

News and Notes

- The Virginia Bluebird Society 2009 biennial conference (held every two years) is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Claytor Nature Study Center in Bedford County. The meeting will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The $20 registration fee includes breakfast, lunch and all programs. This is a great opportunity to learn more about bluebirds and the ways in which we can help this species. The deadline for registration is Friday. For information and registration, go to http://www.virginiabluebirds.org/upcomingevents.html.

- The winter waterfowl are already beginning to return to our local lakes for the winter. Mark Johnson, of Madison Heights, reported that ruddy ducks were at Mill Creek Lake in Amherst County on Oct. 17.