Birds chirping around you is a beautiful realization that life is incredibly good. Let this sound be a gentle break in your routine. ~Hiral Nagda
I like birds. My mom liked birds. She loved feeding them and so do I. So I suppose it’s only natural that I enjoy putting a few birds in my stories. The three books pictured have special mentions of birds, but other of my stories do as well.
One of the birds I enjoy mentioning in my stories is the whippoorwill. I think this is because I always loved hearing the whippoorwill sing in the evening back when I lived in an old farmhouse where the windows were open in the spring and summer. I also remember going outside to listen. For some reason those whippoorwills didn’t follow me over to the new farm when we moved, but I never forgot the somehow yearning sound of the whippoorwill.
Maybe that was because of the Hank Williams song “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” My mother was a big Hank Williams fan. The line I remember is about hearing that lonesome whippoorwill and that he sounded too blue to fly. I don’t know that I thought the bird sounded sad when I heard it, but there is something that pulls at your heart about its song. I know I had Jocie hearing the whippoorwill in my Heart of Hollyhill books. Jacci and Gabe talked about hearing whippoorwills as they went down the river on their showboat in In the Shadow of the River. And Piper in An Appalachian Summer loved hearing the whippoorwill when she got to the Appalachian Mountains to be a courier and help the midwife nurses.
My heart is like a singing bird. ~Christina Rossetti
Crows were the bird of choice in my book, When the Meadow Blooms. The idea of crows bringing someone treasures in thanks for being fed was one of the original sparks for the story. I wanted to come up with a little girl that had that happen for her. Sienna, my young sister, in the story was the perfect character for that since she loves all things nature. So, she made friends with a couple of crows who did bring her those gifts after she fed them corn. They were a big part of several important scenes in the story. Sienna did love her crows.
Bluebirds were the bird of choice in my story, The Song of Sourwood Mountain. Mira’s mother had passed down to her a ceramic bluebird figurine with the quote in the graphic below.
So, bluebirds have always been very special to Mira, and once she got to Sourwood Mountain, she had hopes of seeing and hearing bluebirds while trying to adjust to all the new things she faced in Sourwood. At the end of the story, Mira talks about seeing and hearing those bluebirds.
I did love hearing the papa bird sing his courtship song that gave promise of more bluebirds in Sourwood. (Mira)
I didn’t talk about the cardinal, but I’ve let a cardinal and a mockingbird have a few lines in the book I’m currently writing. No title yet, but it’s set back in the Appalachian Mountains where birds are all around.
I hope you’ve enjoyed me sharing some about my books the last few posts. The giveaway is still going on with the deadline to enter coming up on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at midnight EST. But you still have time to throw your name in my giveaway drawing hat to get an entry or another entry if you’ve responded to some of the other posts already. The prize is your choice of one my books. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and you get that entry. You do have to be at least 18 years old to enter.
What is the bird you like most to see in your backyard or at the park or in the woods?
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I love seeing the bright red cardinals, and listening to the crows and the pecking of the woodpeckers. I like hearing the whippoorwills on a warm summer evening and seeing the first of the robins come back in the spring.
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All those are wonderful, Connie. I haven’t heard a whippoorwill in years. I miss hearing them sing their name. Crows can be pretty noisy, but Sienna would love that you’re giving them some love. She certainly did in my story.
I love seeing all my birds but my favorite is when the hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles return. Blessings
Author
Hummingbirds are a universal favorite, I think, Lucy, because they are so fun to watch zooming in and out to the feeders or working through flower blooms. Baltimore orioles are beautiful birds too and they have such a pretty song.
I’ve always loved Chickadees!
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Just the name makes me love them, Mary. Love the way chickadee rolls off the tongue and they are such cute little birds.
I like Cardinals and Hummingbirds, my step mom and I put out feeders to see how many show up. My daughter had a tree that the Hummingbirds nested in , the tiny little ones were amazing.
Author
I’ve always wanted to see a hummingbird nest, Brenda, but so far haven’t had that pleasure. I can imagine how fun that was to see. I never have more than three or four hummingbirds at my feeders but lots of cardinals come looking for seeds, especially when it snows.
Birds are a special part of my life. I feed the wild doves, house finches, and house sparrows every day. On the average day there are around 80 birds coming through for a meal and a drink at the bird bath. I sit on our screened porch with my morning coffee, my Bible, my journal and my birds.
One bird that has a special meaning to me is the Canadian goose. It seems every time I’m having a particularly difficult time of things, a flock of geese flies over reminding me that God provides for them and how much more He provides for me. Their call causes me to look up. Looking up reminds me to keep my eyes on the Lord.
Author
What beautiful thoughts, Janette, about how seeing the Canadian geese flying over reminds you of God’s providence for them and for all of us.
And what fun to have so many birds come to your feeders and bird bath. The birds here like my birdbath too. It’s fun to see them doing some splashing in it when the weather warms and getting drinks now. I can picture you on your screened porch and what a great way that is to start your day.
I always like seeing hummingbirds.
Author
It’s hard to beat hummingbirds when you’re watching bird, Diana. Hummingbirds are so fun to watch as they buzz in and out.
I have what I think are rose finches that come to my bird feeder and I just love seeing their pretty blush color.
Author
I like seeing the finches too, Megan. The house finch has some of that rosy coloring, I think. I’ve had a finch feeder for years and used to have many many finches, but for some reason they quit liking the finch seeds that I bought. They do come to the regular feeder occasionally though. I need to clean out the finch feeder and buy new seed and try again.
I have 3 feeders attached to my front window. I love eating breakfast and watching all the birds every morning. There’s cardinals, tufted titmouse, chickadees, woodpeckers, bluejays and several other small birds. Occasionally there’s large crows when I throw crackers or bread crumbs out…they’re nearly as big as chickens! I haven’t heard the whippoorwills this winter, so maybe they migrate? But my current favorite are the sparrows. There’s one that watches me through the window from the feeder. A few times, when I haven’t filled the feeder early enough, she’s actually pecked on the security camera and sang a song. She’s hilarious to watch.
Birds are so pretty and birdsong is the best way to start the day.
Author
Birds can surprise you, Lavon, and sounds as if you have one in that sparrow that is going to keep you on the feeding job. I have had hummingbirds to buzz my office window when they arrive back in the area after the winter to let me know it’s time to put out the feeders. I always like to see the little Carolina wrens too. The bird that visits my window the most is the titmouse. But I enjoy seeing them all. However, I’ve never fed any crows in spite of me putting them as characters in Sienna’s story.
When my fathering law was sick and getting chemotherapy,our church made him a prayer blanket.Each knot that was on the blanket was prayed over by the person who tied the knot.It was full of cardinals. When we took it to him,we found out his favorite bird was the cardinal.How the Lord works in mysterious ways! Ever since then, my husband and I love cardinals and think of him every time we see one!
Author
That is such a special gift your church made for your father-in-law, Lynne. So many prayers and then for it to turn out to be his favorite bird. The Lord is in so many things that turn out to be blessings. Cardinals are certainly favorite birds of many.
I love cardinals and woodpeckers, along with whippoorwills. I used to hear them all the time when I was visiting my aunts and uncles in NW GA. There’s a bird here in FL (I don’t know the name of it) that’s really little, and I usually think it’s a leaf on the ground until I see it hopping or flying. Super cute!
Author
I’m imagining your little leaf like bird, Trudy, and smiling. I wonder if whippoorwills are struggling because of loss of woodland and covers with so many areas becoming housing developments with all the yards neatly mown and no cover for birds. Some birds need that more than others.
Listening to birds sing and go about their daily activities costs nothing yet gives such pleasure. The Lord has truly blessed us with birds.
Author
I agree that birds are a blessing to us and amazing to watch and see, Suzanne. It’s definitely a blessing I’m ready to count.
When I lived in my house, I watched and waited for the beautiful rose-breasted grosbeaks to arrive from their southern winter homes. They sang a lovely warbling song, enjoyed the feeders and fluttered about in the foliage of the ancient lilac near my bedroom window where I would watch them in the silence. I loved seeing the striking rosy patch on the white chest underneath a black back and head. Seeing these amazing birds was a high point of the springtime.
Author
Those beautiful birds show up occasionally at my feeders, Mary Clare, but not as often as I’d like. I love seeing them. They are lovely. I’ll have to pay more attention to their song if they come back this spring.
My parents taught me to love birds and flowers. One of my favorites is the hummingbird. I’ve already put out my feeders and the scouts have checked on the feeders. 🙂 Have a blessed day!
Author
You’re farther south, Melissa. I won’t see any hummingbirds until April. Then sometimes one will buzz my office window to let me know it’s here and that I better get the feeder out for him. 🙂
Mourning doves, robins, chickadees, wrens, bluebirds, finches, an eastern phoebe, woodpeckers, hummingbirds (in season), and an occasional cardinal and bluejay gather at our feeders and birdbath. They scatter quickly when a hawk floats overhead.
There cheerful songs, chattering, and calls of warning bring music to our backyard.
Keeping the feeders full and clean keeps my husband busy! The delight the birds bring is worth the work.
Author
Feeding the birds is so much fun, GB. I have the feeder outside my office window and when I need to rest my eyes from the computer, birds flying in and out is the perfect scene. Cardinals, sparrows, titmice, chickadees, finches, wrens, doves, and woodpeckers are frequent visitors to mine. Now that spring is warming up, I see a lot of redwing blackbirds and cowbirds and blackbirds. It might be time to switch to safflower seed.
I love to hear the Pileated Woodpecker with his comical cry, and I love to see the Gold Finch nibbling seeds from my Coneflowers, occasionally we see the beautiful Blue Birds.But the hummingbirds are the most interesting, so wonderfully created!
Author
I like seeing the pileated woodpecker out in the woods, Bonnie. Such a big pretty bird. Goldfinches are fun too with the way their feathers turn so golden as spring warms up. I don’t see many bluebirds but when I do, I’m smiling. I did get a bluebird house last fall. Now I need to get it out there in the yard somewhere.
I love birds and feed them year round! I have 3 bird feeders hanging outside my kitchen window and enjoy watching them as I work in the kitchen. I don’t really have favorite bird, but the call of the mourning dove is my favorite bird sound. It’s so plaintive and beautiful. I hear it mostly in the spring and fall and never get tired of hearing it!
Author
I have a dozen favorites myself, Judi, but I really enjoy seeing the titmice and the black capped chickadees and… Well, all of them except starlings. Not a fan of those at my birdfeeders or the big black birds either even though they are pretty in their own way.
I like hearing the mourning doves too. A peaceful, soothing sound. As I told Marti, I gave the doves some love in my book, When the Meadow Blooms.
I like to see the woodpeckers in my yard picking the seed out of the feeders and off the ground.
Author
I have a couple of woodpeckers that come to the feeder, Birdie. They are sort of bossy birds and won’t let the other birds fly in beside them on the feeder. But several birds are that way. The little birds have to sly in and out quickly to grab a seed.
And you have a name for a bird lover. I liked letting Jay call my young character, Lorena Birdsong, Birdie in my Rosey Corner books.
This year Robins, cardinals, wrens, and so many more. Robins because it means Spring is on the way. My yard was full two days ago
Author
Spring is on the way, Jane, and it’s been feeling like it here the last few days, but the weather people say more chilly weather is on the way and maybe even more snowflakes. But I’m just going to enjoy the sunshine today and not worry about the chill on the way.
I love all birds . I guess the one that thrills me most to see is any that I’ve never seen before except in pictures. Of course the first robin spotted in spring gives a thrill of hope. Warmer weather on the way. I’ve never heard a whippoorwill, or seen one for that matter.
Author
Robins are supposed to be a harbinger of spring, Lee, but I’ve noticed that in the last few years I see them earlier and earlier here on the farm. I wonder sometimes if they are thinking Mother Nature has her seasons mixed up when they show up and then it snows!
Hardly anybody ever sees whippoorwills. They say they are so camouflaged that a person can almost step on them without noticing them hidden in the leaves or on low branch. I did some reading about them when I wrote about them for my book, In the Shadow of the River. You can go on line and pull up a whippoorwill call.
There are two birds that I like to see. First are doves, they’re pretty plain, but they’re so calm. And second are hummingbirds, watching them scold each other never gets old.
Author
I like seeing doves at my feeders, Marti, and hearing their coos when I’m walking in the mornings. I forgot to mention that besides Sienna and her crows in When the Meadow Blooms, I had Dirk telling Rose all about mourning doves and how they mate for life. Loved talking about birds at Meadowland in that story.