It is comforting to know that nature is everywhere, that we can enjoy it where ever we are, both the unusual and the 'ordinary'. When you spend time with whatever is plentiful around you, your enjoyment naturally becomes richer and deeper and nothing seems ordinary anymore.
Juvenile Tufted titmouse.Such has been the nature of my recent enjoyment of the
Tufted titmouse family that frequents my patio. The squeals and antics of the juveniles, both begging to their parents and learning to forage for themselves, have given me many smiles.
Adult, Tufted titmouse. Mostly distinguishable by behavior but also subtle differences in coloration.
There are two hemlocks near the patio, with thickly needled limbs that drape nearly to the ground. These limbs provide a wonderful refuge for foraging and shelter for the inquisitive bird that wants to approach the feeder.
And titmice are curious, vocal and welcoming. Especially if they've associated your presence with the suet and seeds they enjoyed in the
winter. And maybe there's a bit more enthusiasm with demanding, hungry mouths to feed.
When I have time to sit for a while and enjoy the morning air, my first smile comes with the arrival of the titmouse family. They seem to pop up from every limb, the juveniles calling out with their eager, "zhree, zhree, zhree, zhreeaaal", that last note being more of a squeal than a note.
After being fed by a parent, this juvenile dropped down into the ivy to forage for himself among the leaves, looking up ever so often to check with a parent.
"Hey, Mom, look at me!"
This mom certainly felt proud...
Northern cardinals are one of 44 species in our area that are known to be predated by cowbirds. In the cardinal's case, a conservative estimate is 10 percent of the time. This frequency is increasing as habitat is more and more broken by development. All the more reason why I was happy to notice this for real cardinal juvenile being fed by papa on a limb near the feeder. 
After observing the titmouse family, I'm finding the cardinals so much more cautious and timid, though they enjoy suet and seeds no less. On this particular day, the juvenile accompanied his Dad and eagerly but silently, waited to be fed. 
And speaking of titmice, the juvenile cardinal landed on a limb in the hemlock that is frequented by the foraging titmice family. When he did, three of the titmice juveniles surrounded him, making their squealing juvenile calls. Looking a bit overwhelmed, the cardinal ruffled his feathers, made himself look bigger, and gave a big leap. The titmous juveniles scattered.
Now, don't we look innocent.
Doesn't this tufted titmous get the "what are you looking at" award?!
The wonderful thing about binoculars is that they bring the bird closer. But I think I love my camera lens the best. It’s when I’m looking at the images on the computer screen that I often see something delightful that I could not have seen before, something I would have otherwise missed…
like these tiny little feet!
Never mind that the images are fuzzy. Just look at those precious little feet!
This titmouse is holding its dogwood berry like a squirrel or a mouse might except with straighter toes and unlike the furry critters, he has to perch on these same little feet. Is that not amazing?
Well, maybe you knew that. But I guess I've never thought about how they hold a berry. I just knew they did. And when I saw these photos all I could do was stare at them and say “look at those little feet!”
I expected something more like the position below, when the berry's almost gone.
But then there's a lot less to hold by now. And he's not planning to leave any behind.
