The Bird Woman of Quarantine

When the Pandemic hit the US, we were ordered Stay “safe at home” to limit the spread of COVID-19. Many people immediately went stir crazy at the thought of not leaving their premises. I, however, have always enjoyed the solitude of weekends and school holidays. I enjoy playing music, reading and communing with nature. I took this as an opportunity to develop my budding relationships with creatures who are claiming squatters rights in my yard. Prior to this I had been leaving peanuts out for the Ravens and Scrub Jays each morning before work. On mornings that I was rushed and didn’t leave the nuts, It was not unusual for a Jay to land on the edge of my garage as I tried to leave and give me the third degree about the missing breakfast treats. I always ran back in to grab a few and appease him, as I felt we were building a relationship.

Using this added time at home to enjoy watching the birds gave me some tranquil serenity. I started making it a ritual to leave whole peanuts in one area of my front walk for Jays and Ravens, and pieces of nuts, seeds and grains for the smaller birdies in another space. As I only had animal visitors, I felt it necessary to be a good hostess and also put out a small container or water for the birds in the front and later one for the lizards in the back. I left out bits of yard and lint from the dryer to contribute to the coziest nests. I even hid peanuts for them to hunt on Easter morning, but who doesn’t? Right? After all my hospitality, no matter how much I whistled when I worked, not one helped with my chores like those REAL woodland creatures did for Snow White. But I did not have to cook and clean up after 7 short, quirky men either so, I was content with the way things were.

My routine became preparing their treats and my coffee with toast or a muffin every morning and we shared this meal about 8-10 feet apart, me just inside my house, sitting on the floor with the screen door between us. Social distancing plus! Often a Jay, and a Towhee would come closer and ask me how I was faring, or maybe they were demanding more food? Who can be sure? I was so excited to see a Road Runner show up twice, I quickly googled what they like to eat too. Turns out Amazon does not deliver snakes and scorpions so my lizard occupants better stay in the back where 7,243 earwigs are just waiting to be devoured by them. I also caught 2 bunnies eating salads made from my flower petals. Since a guest is a guest, I was just happy for more places to be filled at my banquet spread.

I’m sure someone could argue it was an odd sight to see me sitting on the floor in the doorway having breakfast. Maybe I occasionally talked to the birds “we” don't know for sure. But as my husband used to tell the kids “I pay the bills here, I’ll do what I want.” The only time I considered that I could possibly look a little peculiar was through a stranger's eyes. One day there I was sitting cross legged on the floor two feet away from the screen door, staring out. As I raised my steaming cup of Joe up for a sip, I saw someone walking up to the front door briskly. We both saw each other at the same time, and it was too late for me to get up and escape or for him to turn on his heels and change direction. It was a guy dropping off coupon packs on doorknobs.After being exposed as the oddball that I am, I sat there with my pink hued awkward expression. He quickly averted eye contact, dropped the coupons near the door and cut across my lawn out in one swift move. But in that ½ second that we made eye contact, I read it on his face. I weighed which of us was more uncomfortable in that moment and Decided that it was him. I win! I still sit there every morning. I enjoy the cool morning air that is quiet and still, except for the sound of the birds circulating the announcement that breakfast is served. The only unannounced visitors I care to receive are not human. I will definitely miss this time I have been gifted when the country resumes normal activity. I will have to spend my mornings slugging down my coffee and toast while trying to make myself look presentable to the eagle eyes of society that care more about the way I look then having a heart like Snow White.