this time ~ this space

Pine siskins do not migrate north and south but instead they move east and west in their 2 year cycles. They are spunky little birds who are feisty enough to drive off the larger songbirds from my feeders.

Two days ago I while enjoying a few moments of respite on my deck I witnessed their raucus return. I watched them tell the chickadees, junkos and purple finches where to go. I couldn’t help myself - I giggled - and they flew away until I became mute again. Although siskins are members of the finch family and are similar in shape to the American goldfinches, they are smaller and are certainly not as colourful. They are basically gray-brown and have a bit of white or yellow on their wings.

Seeing them and hearing their call zhreeee which rises in pitch warmed the cockles of my heart. The feeders were full on blackoil sunflower seed but as I hadn’t seen the siskins prior to Monday I had no nyger seed which they adore.

Pine siskin beaks are tiny, fine and not as strong as other finches so I headed went into the house with a scoop of blackoil sunflower seed, poured it into a plastic bag and smacked with a mallet a few times and then returned to pour it into one feeder. Sure enough before I could reach the second feeder a small flock were feasting in the first one.

Siskins are prone to salmonella so into the house I went again to write myself a reminder note about washing the feeders out with bleach this Saturday and to add nyger seed to the shopping list. Lastly, I put out a plastic bucket to remind myself not to throw the leftover from the feeders onto the grassy ground below the feeders where salmonella can grow.

Little things mean a lot when you’re feeling low. Watching these little birds and whistling back to them lifted my spirits and will continue to do so until they journey east again.