Of all the birds that visit our yard, I have become the most fond of the Black Capped Chickadee. I’m sure this preference has something to do with the fact that they don’t seem to mind being in close proximity to me. Last spring a Chickadee couple visited our front porch and set up house in a rustic birdhouse hanging by our front door. We watched with joyful anticipation as they brought twigs and nesting materials. I managed to get a number of photographs of one of the birds peering out from inside the house. With a little help from my husband and Photoshop, we turned it into our Christmas card. Unfortunately the chickadees moved on to another nest and we did not see any Chickadee chicks. I will probably clean out the nest and invite them to move in again this coming spring.
These cheerful little birds are also frequent visitors to our kitchen window feeder. I must say it makes doing the dishes more pleasant. The cats seem to enjoy the bird activity as well. Seeds are carried away to a perch and held under one foot while they are pecked open. They are hard working but seem to be fun loving at the same time. There is no fear of the wide eyed felines on the opposite side of the window. They go about their business without much concern for the swatting cats. Chickadees are fast moving and agile in flight. They seem acrobatic while hanging on feeders and securing a nibble.
It took me a few days to complete this watercolor painting, but I did enjoy working on a likeness of our little friend. I never thought watching birds would bring so much pleasure. The surrounding wilderness must have something to do with this new found delight.
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