“Porch Rules-take a nap, feel the breeze, read a book, converse, listen to the birds, sip a drink, relax.”

—From a wall hanging

“On a day like this, I can’t imagine anything better than might happen in a person’s life than for them to start paying attention to birds.”

—Kenn Kaufman, author, artist, naturalist, conservationist

It was 5 o’clock in the morning when Sam was up preparing for a day of fishing. Sunrise wouldn’t come until 6:50. I suspect it’s calm and peaceful to watch the sun rise over the water and to be the first one to arrive at the fishing hole. I’m more of a late riser. Up by 8 o’clock, Wilhelmina and I settled on the front porch for a morning visit. It was still quite cool so I dragged an Afghan blanket outside with me and covered up along with a hot cup of coffee and a devotional reading. The morning’s temperature had risen to 55 degrees. I would imagine it was in the 40’s when Sam left.

Wilhelmina and I listened to the chirping of birds and watched their flitting around. They often dove into the hanging moss on the oak tree. I can’t tell what they get out of the moss, whether it’s bugs, or nesting material. It wouldn’t seem to be the time for nesting, but I could be wrong about that.

Okay a quick Google check on my phone says there is a difference in “nesting” and “roosting.” Some birds do find bird boxes and use them to stay out of the rain, cold, wind and snow. You can make boxes just for roosting if you’d like to try to keep the birds around. Typically, our bluebirds, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, some woodpeckers, and cardinals will roost in a box. The box needs to be larger than just a nesting box as groups of birds will huddle together for warmth. You might want to make the box big enough for the whole clan. You can find plans for building roosting boxes on the internet. One plan mentioned putting a singular entrance/exit hole toward the bottom of the box so the buildup of heat won’t escape so easily.  Most birds find cavities, or just protective places, while others may bundle up together in bad weather on a tree limb. It’s time to think about the oncoming weather and our neighboring birds.

While I was wondering about weathering the winter, a flock of bluebirds swarmed about and landed on wires or clung to the side of the garage where the bluebird boxes are. They ducked here and there and seemed to be vying for the boxes. There were definitely more birds than boxes so later on I asked Sam to put up another bird box. Bluebirds typically do not migrate.

Wilhelmina and I watched a fox squirrel scurry across the yard where lawn meets field. The tops of the oak trees were swaying, while the magnolia and the silver maple were still. Across the field, the dry lake bed, over the dam, there’s a farmer’s field, but all I could see was the rising of dust. More indications of the season’s ending.

Though we lingered long it was a morning well spent-beholding the beauty of the here and now.

Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].