Housing Starts are Up

I had never actually seen a Chickadee excavating a nest hole before.  I looked up when I noticed bits of stuff raining down from on high.  All I had was the tail view until he pulled out his head, and with a toss, spit out more sawdust.  Then back in the hole he went.  Let me tell you, he was working it hard.

Mouths to Feed

A flutter of movement drew me across the street.  A dark bird flashed away.  I was scanning the trees when a hole in an adjacent snag suddenly filled up.  The phrase “gaping maw” leapt to mind.  If he had had a spoon he would have been banging it against the table.  It must be hard to fill even a tiny belly, one bitsy caterpillar at a time. I never saw the harried parent.