Today was raking day which also meant leaf-hauling day. Twenty-two wheelbarrow's full of the leaves were raked and carted off to use as mulch in the lower edge of the property. This is not a problem for me as long as I am heading downhill but after about the tenth trip back up, I was looking for any excuse to stop along the way. I found that excuse in the form of a tiny bird. A Prothonotary Warbler caught my attention on one trip down the hill past the canebrake. The bright yellow bird seemed unusually friendly so I stopped to have a chat. While literally talking with the bird, I had a brilliant idea. I needed a photograph! I asked the bird to wait while I dashed inside to grab the camera. Sure enough, the bird was right where I left it when I returned to the wheelbarrow. Our one-sided conversation began again while I snapped picture after picture of the bird. At some point, the bird lost all fear of me and let me walk right up to it while it was in the peach tree. With camera just inches away from the tiny tot, I could see the amazing beauty through the lens. I was stunned.
After a bit, both the bird and I eased toward the citrus trees. It was searching for any tidbit of bug that it could find. I watched how it flipped leaf after leaf and when an insect would dart out, the bird had it in a snap. Neither of us were doing much watching for predators. The warbler hopped to the ground and when I turned to take another picture, a black blur leapt at my little friend! NYCTO!!!! NO!!! The cat turned to look at me as if to say "But I was hungry!" I shooed the cat under the house and checked on my bird friend. The little guy seemed none the worse for wear and did not even seem one bit startled.
About ten minutes later, our journey took us to the south side of the house. Oh, no. I knew that Ms. Put, the other cat, was dozing under the camellia bush and that was right where my friend was heading. This cat would not be deterred by my shouts and she would not miss if she took a notion to have warbler for lunch. The best idea seemed to shoo the bird, not the cat. I directed the bird around to the arbor where there were enough allies in the form of nesting birds. If either cat made its presence known there, the birds would rally and make life miserable for it. Whew! My job seemed complete.
My wheelbarrow needed to be brought up the hill so I trotted off in that direction. Meow! Oh, no.....the feral cats were on the prowl. I saw the splotchy grey one scoot behind the greenhouse and the black one race under the house. My poor birds! While I adore the cats and hate not to help the ferals, I do worry about the birds...especially the cute little ones like this warbler.
Just a note about this warbler. The name "Prothonotary" refers to the clerks in the Roman Catholic Church. They wore bright yellow robes much like this little bird. The tiny bird is one of only two warblers that will nest in tree cavities or birdhouses. Since it loves being in swamps, creeks and bayous, the bird also is known by the name "Golden Swamp Warbler". It obviously is a very friendly bird without a fear in the world...and that just might be the source of its undoing.
