I love the winter here. Aside from being short, what I like best is when the trees that drop leaves become bare I can scope out the bird and squirrel nests.

One is high up in a tree on my front yard. I was looking at the garden below to see if any of my daffodil bulbs were growing. I’m pleased to report they are. However, I did find a dead fledgling just below the nest in the garden. How sad. It’s a Pine Warbler and looks like it’s been there for about a week.

I’m leaving it where I found it although the boys and I are discussing giving it a proper burial. Having the bird  has provided a great science lesson for the boys. We’ve identified the bird from its color, beak, size and wing bars. They also got to observe animal decomposition up close: we turned the carcass over and saw maggots moving inside it. Ugh.

Travis is working on a poem to memorialize the creature. Once it’s done I’ll post it.