Barb Techel was one of the people who had a story for the Bird Potholder she bought from me. It was about the nuthatches at her feeder.
Once the potholder arrived at Barb’s home she hung it on her studio door and the Nuthatch story continued. She found hope and meaning in the small bird. She wrote about it on her blog Joyful Paws. She also posted a video of the Nuthatch out her window and a recording of the Nuthatch’s song.
I”m not very good at detecting bird song, but this one was familiar to me. I just never knew it came from a nuthatch.
Barb wrote….
“For the second time in three days, fifty-mile-per-hour winds are whipping through our area. I ponder for a moment the thought, how do birds fly in these ferocious winds?
But somehow they do. I appreciate the resiliency of that image in my mind – something so small and seemingly fragile, yet they can fly through fierce gusts of wind.
Oh, how that reflects the planet right now and what is dark in our world, and the more we fight against what we don’t wish to see, the harder the flight will be. But if we believe that light always wins (and I believe it does!) the easier it will be to move through these difficult times. We are stronger than we think.”
Barb also wrote that because the nuthatch is often upside down, it’s a reminder to see things from a different perspective.
After reading her post I watched the birds at my feeder.
The bigger birds, the Starlings, BlueJays, and Flickers appear now and then, but it’s the small birds, the sparrow, titmouse, chickadee and nuthatch that are the most persistent. Flying back and forth from the bushes and trees to the feeder again and again undeterred when the bigger birds chase them away.
Another inspiring show of strength from these seemingly fragile creatures with the message of determination. Barb has made me think about watching the birds at my feeder more closely to see what else I can learn about them and myself.
Barb’s message was beautiful and so heartening. I, too, love the nuthatches for its dog-toy sounding squeaky song, lovely blue-gray color and upside down but chin up perching; they hop and flit about on the tree outside my window, using little crevasses in its limbs to secure and pry open the sunflowers seeds from my sill. The potholder is a beauty!
And your description of the Nuthatch is beautiful Amy.
Barb and you now has me watching to see what I can learn about them and myself. Today is a magical day of two’s: 2-22-22.
I’ve never thought much about numbers in that way Sharon. But I looked up the number “2” and found it to be a feminine force of grace and power, collaboration and compromise. I’ll keep that in mind today.
I once saw 4 robins chasing a hawk away from their territory. They were chirping frantically and essentially dive bombing at times. The hawk seemed unperturbed as it flew away.
That’s wild Kathryn. It is interesting how the bigger birds take the “attacks” from the smaller birds in stride, but they also often go away.