By Heather Katsoulis from Southern NH – Vertigo, 

I’m holding my breath. Will he or won’t he? A handsome male cardinal is perched on a low branch near my bird feeder and he seems to be considering sampling the black hulled sunflower seeds that it contains. I recently hung the feeder and have been watching it expectantly for days but have yet to witness any takers. He would be the first, and hopefully an example for other birds to give it a try.

As I watch, he leans forward in lift-off position and makes the short fly-hop over, lighting on the spindly perch. He plucks out a seed and cracks it open with his strong beak, a perfectly designed tool for such a purpose. I can see the little dribble of hulls fall below him. Success! And I’m thrilled!

I pause to think about why this gives me such pleasure, such delight? I guess it’s knowing that I have no power to coerce this beautiful wild creature to take what I am offering. He deigns to accept my hospitality on his own terms, in his own time. In that moment I make one small connection to the Natural World bigger than Humanity. Will he come again? Will others follow suit? I hope so. But in the meantime, it is enough for me to watch and wait.

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