Fine for Finches
In the summer our forsythia bush is green and full, creating
a private nesting environment for a host of our local House Finches. They are
the little birds that flock around the feeders and serenade us with song.
The bush is pretty bare, now that winter has arrived. A few
leaves are hanging on in homage to the warm weather we had this fall but
otherwise it would not seem to be a particularly good place for protective
covering. Yet the finches find it to be a good spot to hang out.
And it is understandable. Look at the forsythia’s winter
coloring, all grays and browns, perfect blend for a finch. At least for the
female House Finch. Male House Finches are more colorful, with splashes of red
feathers on their heads and chest. But even so, the inside of the bush is a
tangle of branches, easy enough for such a small bird to move through but hard
for a larger bird, such as the predatory hawk that has been hovering around the
treetops recently, to navigate. It seems that the bush’s qualities are just
fine for finches. They come out when they choose and hunker in when they need
to.
And perhaps that is a quality we humans should cultivate. It
is wonderful to be out in the open, to show the world our best, our beauty, our
skills. Then there are times for introspection. This year has been rough with
storms, with guns, with political stagnation.
Let’s make next year safer. Let’s be proactive in the face
of natural threats. Let’s be protective of our public spaces. Let’s work
together for the good of all. Let’s make 2013 a year of cooperation and caring
so that we can sing our own beautiful songs.
Listen to the finches:
Some finch facts:
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