The carpenter who was hanging doors today brought his nine-year-old son August along with him, with my permission, with the idea that he would stay near his father upstairs. The dad didn’t mind that I set August up by the fire instead, to eat his lunch; I really like the dad and I was glad to meet one of his children, and to make him comfortable. He liked to chat.
I got a break from that socializing when they had to go briefly to another job, and I ran some errands having to do with the remodeling and the Christmas celebrations upcoming. When I got back August was glad to see me. He asked whether I had pets, and started advising me that I needed a cockatiel to talk to. I explained about my love for watching the wild birds, and as we looked out at the garden I told him that contrary to present appearances, the birds often came by the dozens, most recently goldfinches. He said, “Look, there’s a hummingbird… it’s a small one.” And suddenly, a flock of birds surprised him by arriving all at once at the seed feeder, and we began to study them.
The yellow-headed birds did not look like goldfinches. I stumbled over boxes of Christmas decorations and faucets to pull the Peterson’s Guide off the shelf, and paged through the colored plates with August looking on, and we determined that this bird is a Townsend’s Warbler. How convenient it was, a few minutes later, when a Lesser Goldfinch, one of those birds I’ve been seeing for years, joined a warbler on the feeder so we could compare them side by side. Of course, the warbler is larger, and different in many ways.
August really wanted me to take a picture of the birds, but I explained that I never can get good pictures through the window, and if I open the door, they all fly away. So I am posting here two pictures I found online.
I am pretty pleased at the double gift, a boy and a new bird sighting, all in one day. Thank You, Lord! Now I must get back to my cookie-baking…
Gladsome Lights 
Sweet gifts indeed; thank you for sharing them.
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Introducing children to the enjoyment of birds in their environment is a lifelong gift.
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I love bird 💙 stories
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You may have turned this young man onto a life interest in bird watching. That Warbler is a handsome bird that I wouldn’t mind spotting myself.
I hope the cookie baking went well and that preparations are more or less on track!
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What a nice birding episode – seems like Somebody arranged that to perfection! Good memories for August, too. I hope your cookies are increasing!
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I’m like your new friend whose instinct to preserve through photography is almost irresistible. But some things just don’t photograph well and we learn to enjoy and savor what we see.
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Me, too! I probably have a few hundred pictures taken of birds in my backyard, some only recently, and 98% of them are complete failures.
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It’s a blessing to be able to still see the Goldfinch in December. For us, September is the last month they were here before flying away for the winter.
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Oh, a nine year old! How I love them! I am a retired school teacher having taught nine and ten year olds for all those years. It’s a great age!
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It really is a great age for boys being lovable.
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You have a remarkable way to tell the best stories, real life ones. I smiled my way through this one just picturing in my mind the fireside, the lunch, observing birds through the window, you pulling Petersens off the shelf, and the two-way conversation. 😊
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I can see how a boy and a new bird would make a day lovely for you. And I can imagine him being at ease with you because you probably speak to him as person to person, not adult to child.
I read back and saw where the work passed inspection. I’m wondering if work stopped very long during Christmas or whether they are back at it already. You are only one of a few bloggers I follow who are having major remodeling projects going on during the holidays this year. More power to you! I hope things move along well now.
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