Spring and Whimsy's Wild Critter Tales

Spring is definitely in the air!

The weather over the weekend was warm and sunny, prompting sounds and sights signaling the change of seasons. Snow was melting quickly becoming very slushy underfoot, and miniature rivulats of water streamed off of roofs, then meandered this way and that, traveling towards unknown destinations.

Songbirds were chirping joys of the warm sunshine, larger birds like the eagle and crow were abundant in the air, and the first of the pussywillows have appeared!

All this brought thoughts of warm days of spring and summer past, and wild things that visit the Whimsy gardens.

~ Spring Robin ~

I had longed to photograph closeup images of robins, but being they are very shy birds this had not been possible, as I lacked a zoom lens for my camera. Wishes do come true however...and...as I am learning through the years...they come true sometimes in the most unexpected ways!

One morning last Spring as I was having my breakfast I heard the strangest tap...tap...tap. I stopped to listen closely. The sound came again...tap...tap...tap. Slowly and cautiously I rose to find the source. It appeared someone was tapping on a window. Who, I wondered, could it be? Tap...tap...tap...it came again. Downstairs I went, following the noise...tap...tap...tap.

Tap...tap...tap.

Tap...tap...tap.

Tap...tap...tap.

Downstairs is a dark mahogany cabinet which is situated against an outside wall that contains a small window. This cabinet seemed to be where the strange tapping noise came from. But what...how...who?

Again came the tap...tap...tap. 

Ever so slowly I opened the creeking cabinet door...and there to my utter amazement stood a bright red breasted Mr. Robin! He was bobbing up and down in an overgrown cedar bush which happened to be in front of the small window. As I watched not more than four feet away, Mr. Robin hopped up to the window and with his beak tap...tap...tapped.

And again tap...tap...tapped.

I slowly backed from his view, then dashed for the camera hoping I hadn't scared him away, and that he would remain long enough for me to snap a few quick images. When would I have this opportunity to be so close again, I wondered!

No fear you see... for the back of the mahogony cabinet had a large rectangular hole cut into it when it was made. This hole I assume is to allow for access to the back of electrical equipment when placed inside. Mr. Robin, looking through the window, thought this to be an ideal nesting spot...a perfect bush in front to hop into and cover the view of said nesting area...a lovely roof overhead...and a beautiful large opening to place said nest into...as long as the cabinet door remainded closed that is! His only issue was...how to get through the window into that perfect nesting area!

Tap...tap...tap.

He was a very insistant Mr. Robin! After a full hour of clicking images, I believed I had all of the angles I could want...for now...closed the cabinet door, and went to continue about my day.

Poor Mr. Robin!

He wanted that spot very, very much! And for two solid weeks continued to tap on the window. I feared that he would waste too many days trying to nest somewhere he could not.

And below was why he desired this nesting spot!

~ Little Red Squirrel ~

Little Red Squirrel is very, very cute...but quite naughty. Scampering here and there, from tree to tree, chattering away if he happens to catch anyone looking his way. Little Red Squirrel and friend litter the ground with pinecones, chewed off pine branches, and in the spring, little eggshells (sometimes Mr. Robin's little blue eggs) and tipped over nests.

But what a cute face on Little Red Squirrel! 

~ Miss Chippy Chipmunk ~

Miss Chippy Chipmunk is another wild Whimsy critter...and she too is quite smart. She has an amazing way of training humans! You see, in the Whimsy gardens there grow blueberry bushes. These blueberry bushes grow fat, delicious blueberries! Each summer I watch and wait as the little green blueberries grow larger and larger...then turn pink, light purple, darker purple, and one more day until...HEY, where did those ripe blueberries go!

Not until last year did Miss Chippy Chipmunk confess she and Mr. Chippy had been enjoying ripe blueberries for breakfast! I had always wondered who was leaving little tooth and tongue marks in the not quite ripe blueberries growing next to the missing ripe berries! Yes, Miss Chippy Chipmunk told me it was her as she scampered excitedly in front of me to reach the bushes, dashed nimbly into them and sat looking at me as if to say..."My blueberries?"

I guess this human took a little longer to train than some. After that day, peanuts appeared morning and evening for Mr. and Miss Chippy...and blueberries were found on the bushes, ripe and unsampled!

Many other wild critters visit the Whimsy gardens, some only once, others more often. What stories will they tell this year?

Mr. Robin did eventually decide that it was past time to move on and find another nesting area. Where? I am not quite sure, but I hope it was quite safe from Little Red Squirrel.

I look forward to more adventures of the wild critters of Whimsy gardens!