The Birds and The... Teeth

This afternoon after school I had a dentist's appointment at which I had my teeth cleaned. Generally speaking, I don't mind getting my teeth clean, and in fact, I've often commented that I enjoy the feeling of having my teeth and gums "worked over." Today's experience was particularly lucid, not because of what was taking place in the dental hygienist's chair, but what was happening just outside the window.

The office building is one of about four within the confided space of one of those modern "doctor plazas." From the cubicle in which I was sitting I could see the building directly across the walkway. Directly along the building are a series of moderately sized barren bushes. Barren, that is, except for what looked to be between thirty to forty Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus).

As my teeth were being sonically scraped and polished, it was a joy to watch this flock of birds sway in a sweeping motion from the bush to a small feeder just in front of the building. It was not a door opening or closing that would disturb them from one resting spot or another, but seemed to be just their way of being to move from bush to feeder, feeder to bush. It was hypnotic and very peaceful. SWOOSH to the feeder... WOOSH to the bush... each taking its seemingly predetermined place among the delicately interlaced branches...

cold, naked bramble,
black cap birds settle—
keeping warm is hard!