The Birds of Still Spring Garden By Jane Word

One overlooked feature of Still Spring Garden might be the sight and sounds of birds. For a small suburban space, the garden has a wealth of birds, both resident and migratory.

If you take a moment to sit quietly, you might be rewarded by the bright red flash of familiar residents, the male Northern Cardinal, and his more subdued mate. Both sport a head crest and red bills. You can hear them call to each other, with a “chip” sound, as if to say, “I’m here, where are you?

Tennessee’s state bird, Mockingbird

”Other residents you might enjoy include the red-breasted American Robin, tiny Carolina Chickadee, grey Tufted Titmouse, comical Nuthatches, the handsome woodpecker called a Flicker, the bold, loud Blue Jay, and the Mockingbird (our State bird).  Both the latter can and will imitate other birds and almost any sound they hear!

As for migratory birds, this year already the Garden has enjoyed the small, active Magnolia Warbler, as they find their way at night from northern summer homes to their winter grounds in Central America.

White-throated sparrow.

Today I heard the lovely, clear whistle of another migrant in the Garden, the White-throated Sparrow. They breed mostly across Canada but luckily for us, they winter in Tennessee. One appears to have discovered the brush pile on the property - good habitat for them. Their beautiful sound says fall is here and the winter birds are arriving.

Take a quiet moment to enjoy the ever-changing sights, sounds, and birds of Still Spring Garden - time well spent.