Dakota Beacon

Company is on the way and visitors are arriving even now. First impressions count and it is wise to put the best foot forward. Good hosts welcome guests with open arms and a generous heart.

Like clockwork the guests drop by about this time every year. Their arrival is so regular they need no announcement. Forewarned is forearmed and that allows adequate time to plan.

Cleaning the guest area is good preparation. Tidying up the dining area is a must. Sprucing the bath adds a nice touch. And, of course, picking up around the yard improves the overall appearance.

And who is so special? Why, Mr. and Mrs. Robin of course. Last year we hosted a family for the better part of the summer. Robins don't use the seed feeders but they sure love the suet before the worms appear. They are also greatly attracted to the birdbath. At first they drop by for a drink. As the weather warms they step into the drink for a dunk, a slosh then make off to a branch for a good preen.

I am getting ahead of myself. We of the songbird-loving fraternity must prepare for the spring rush. A checklist works best.

            -- Stock up on birdseed. A variety of seed brings a variety of songbirds.

            -- Repair or replace the bird feeders. Cats, squirrels and wind rough them up and take their toll.

            -- Clean the birdbath.

            -- Rake the yard around the bird feeders. Stirring the ground uncovers lost seed.

Here they come! Gold Finches congregate like jolly gold bricks. The cocky little black cap tipped forward on the forehead captures their personality. The air is aflutter with gold.

The birds resemble autumn leaves in the springtime when House Finches breeze in to join the Gold Finches. The rich, wine-red hue of the House Finches contrasts with the bright yellow of the Gold Finches. Each takes a bow and makes way for the other.

A Grackle invades the feeders like Darth Vader. At ten to twelve inches, this guy is big, black and ugly. He is neither polite nor dainty. No manners here. Seeds fly everywhere. Mr. Grackle may be a bully, but the small birds are not stupid. They just move to the ground and take the seeds Mr. Grackle throws off.

Several perky White Crowned Sparrows hop onto low branches on their way to the ground for their own culinary experience. They look spiffy with white racing stripes on their heads.

Harris's Sparrow is quite dapper in his black hat, bib and pink bill. He looks like a "Mr. Harris" holding himself proud. He is quite the gentleman showing courtesy to his friends as he hop-scratches the ground for just the right seed.

Mrs. Grosbeak drops in for a visit. She appears to have put on weight over the winter but I don‘t know how. She looks like a small chicken sitting at the feeder. She doesn't turn her head. She turns her whole body, sometimes waddling from side to side, to check out the activity around her.

Later in spring the antics begin. When the young ones leave the nest they will follow their parents to the feeders and the bath. Their juvenile behavior offers never ending entertainment.

The real kicker comes when the young, spotted-breasted Robins follow their parents into the water. They are like kids in a wading pool. They cannot get enough water on a summer afternoon. Terrific humor comes when two youngsters both try the small birdbath at the same time. By the time they finish the birdbath needs refilling.

Other feathered families stop by. Our old friends the common House Sparrow brings young ones around to show them what fine dining is all about. Little ones, fresh from the nest, perch on the feeder with one parent perched alongside. The youngster sits there with its mouth open, squawking and waiting for a morsel. Very patiently, Mama shells a seed and places it in the youngster's craw. A quick swallow and the little one squawks for the next bite.

When will this routine end? Weeks later, what appears to be an adolescent House Sparrow still accompanies Mama or Papa to the feeder for a meal! The parent repeats the same ritual. I can imagine Papa's bird brain is processing what he sees. "When is this kid going to leave home?"

So goes the backyard entertainment. There is never a dull moment in birdland.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).