Sunday, May 21, 2006

More backyard birds

Behind my house I have a diseased Arizona ash tree which is slowly and inevitably dying. Several big branches have already fallen down, and I think that in the next big windstorm the rest of the tree may come down completely. Several of these short-lived trees, all planted on the property at the same time, have already become part of my woodpile which, if last winter is any indication, is more in danger of slow decay as the world gets warmer, than of eventual combustion in my fireplace and wood stove. The last couple of years I have rarely lit a wood fire. But I digress.

What I was going to say was that the dying tree, latticed with deadstick branches decorated with colorful lichens--and with a only few upper branches showing any foliage--is incredibly popular with birds. Here are two.

A white wing dove



and a starling


(click to enlarge)

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