(a male Scarlet Tanager)
Since living in this house we have found the trees surrounding it to be perfect habitats for various interesting birds. Outside the dining room Ethan's folks put up a bird feeder that has been great entertainment during our meals. We enjoy identifying the different kind of birds and talking about them with our kids. Last winter Peter John and Ethan built a bird house to hang from the birch tree. For a while this spring we had a fat male sparrow (whom we named "Mr. Nezzer) who had taken up residence, but since he couldn't seem to attract a mate, he abandoned it. Then this summer we had a beautiful pair of bluebirds who have nested and are raising some young in the bird house. What a pleasure to watch! 
We know the day they hatched because the male bluebird made a very noisy call over and over again one evening while Peter John was trying to sleep in his tent. We also could hear the wee chirping of the baby bluebirds inside. We are not sure which day they will fly out of the box, but we will miss them when they leave. The kids named the male and female "Isaac and Rebekah." Very cute!
Some of the other birds we have enjoyed watching are chickadees, chipping sparrows, and housefinches. The kids also love bluejays, but we don't see them very often.
Today Ethan and I were hiking in Maplewood State Park when we spotted the most vibrant small red bird we have ever encountered. No, it was not a cardinal. It was red with a dark, black wing. We looked it up at home and discovered it to be a scarlet tanager. The amazing thing about these birds is they migrate all the way to tropical central and South America in early August. Then they return in the spring to feed on the abundance of insects and berries in the woods of North America. It was amazing to me that that special little bird had made a trek from the northern parts of the U.S.A. all the way down to the tropical parts of South America. We enjoyed its beautiful song as well. Glory to God.
We also saw an interesting hawk today that was being chased by sparrows. It was quite a sight to see! We saw a whole group of small birds chasing a large bird of prey and trying to attack it. They must have been keeping him away from their young. This hawk was not a red-tailed hawk, but was yellow in color with shorter wings than the red-tailed. He must have had quite a day today with those pesky sparrows!
Another favorite from the day was all the little yellow goldfinches. These are some of my favorite birds to see! Thanks, God, for all the beautiful birds you have created and sustained by your caring hand. Birds have nests and food to eat thanks to You. Thanks that we get to enjoy these little creatures here in Minnesota. What a delight.
