Waking in a Disney Movie

Last Saturday, I cracked open an eye long enough to hit the snooze on my alarm clock. Maybe another thirty minutes of shut-eye should do the trick, I mused, as I rolled back over and buried my face into the pillow.
That's when the birdsong began.
I ignored it, until a second warble began and then a third. Louder.
What the heck!
It sounded so close, as if the birds were in the room with me. Raising my head from the pillow, wiping the sleep from my eyes, I gazed at the small paned window where the music seemed to be the loudest.

What??? Was I seeing things?

There on the sill flitted 3, wait, make that 4.... then 2 more flew down to perch. Little birds, their small dark eyes peering in at me, heads bobbing up and down as if trying to get a better look, and all the time they kept up their serenade.

"How strange", I thought, wishing I had my camera because I knew no one was going to believe this story.
I watched them watching me and wondered, "What does this mean? What do they want from me?"

I listened to their music and this is what I heard

Water, please, will you bring?
in return,our song we sing.

Ok, it was simple, but I got the point.

A couple months back I had purchased a bird feeder. The variety of birds around my home is something to behold. I've seen Cardinals, Bluebirds, Blue Jays, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, Sparrows, Hawks and Blackbirds (Starlings?), just to name a few.  Why not feed them?

BUT, I had not thought about water.  There's a lake nearby and I was sure other water sources, but the last few weeks have been severely hot with little to no rainfall. Too hot for June and there's no end in sight. The whole first week of July will be 100+ degrees. How awful to be thirsty in this heat!

So, I changed my plans for the early morning. Rising from bed, I dressed quickly, stopping long enough to give my dogs each a morning treat, then headed to the local hardware store in search of a bird bath.








I found this one which suited my taste and purpose.

Then another bit of statuary caught my eye and I added it to my purchase.  Perfect for my "Friendship Door".

It was a hot morning and I was sweating profusely by the time I got the bird bath situated and filled with water.  After setting it in place to my satisfaction,  I decided to cool down and wait inside the door to see if I'd get any visitors.  Many of my feathered friends are quite shy, but I was able to capture a few with my camera.

This was my first guest.

Approaching with caution 

I couldn't get to close to these and my zoom lens is not powerful enough, but at least you can see some of the color that decorates my yard.

Sunday I learned that the lake has been declared off limits to swimmers due to contamination, so I was doubly glad that I provided a clean source of water for my little friends.

I haven't had time to shoot anymore, until tonight, but I would say that the bird bath is a success!

"Life Through The Pane"