I actually know WHY the caged bird sings

A few months ago, some friends had to move after their house flooded. They had to winnow down their sizeable menagerie, and we got their three parakeets. (Some other friends got their chickens, and I think they got the better deal). You can imagine, with our all-around Love of Things Avian, the birds were welcomed into the family with great delight. Harper named hers Hobbes, Hudson's is Peeper, and Helena's is Bitty. Hobbes is the biggest and most social. He is the only one who will come out and sit politely on a finger or shoulder or head, or, on occasion, attempt to build a nest in your hair:


 Bitty and Peeper have each gotten out accidentally a couple of times, and it has been Highly Dramatic to get them safely back into the cage. Bitty in particular, slams herself into walls and windows, gets herself stuck in tight places, and generally acts crazed, which causes both Harper and Helena to panic and also weep. Though the tiniest, she is extremely fierce upon capture, and bites VERY HARD on my fingers. One time I even bled. She is my least favorite.
Sasha is also not a fan. The friends who gave them to us have two Chihuahuas who would let the birds ride around on their backs. The first time we had him out, Hobbes made straight for her and Sasha said, "NO THANK YOU DO I LOOK LIKE A SHOW PONY?" and, ever since, has run, tail tucked under, from the room every time we've gotten them out of their cage. The birds actually really like her, and Hobbes will even bark excitedly any time she wanders near their cage.

We keep their cage in the schoolroom, but I have to put them outside during school time because their chatter gets very loud and excited and screechy when I start to read or explain something. Yesterday, I put them out on the porch. We were getting ready to leave for piano, and Harper came in and said, "There is another parakeet--a blue one!-sitting outside on the birds' cage!!! The birds must have called to him or something! Can we keep him??"  It took about 15 minutes, but we ended up getting him into the cage. I have posted a message on our neighborhood page, but so far, no one has claimed him. Alas, it seems that Hobbes has found his Calvin. He adds a little diversity to all the green and yellow:

 In other birding news, Harper and I met a pair of phoebes on a walk last week. They are not frequent visitors to our parts, so it was exciting to get a good look at them.



And then, after the excitement of Calvin showing up, we got to our piano teacher's house and Harper looked up and realized she has a nesting pair of red-winged hawks in a tree next door, AND a yard full of kinglets, and tufted titmice, AND a goldfinch!!

To close, apropos of nothing mentioned thus far, Harper asked for these wooden Keva tiles for Christmas, and they've built some beautiful structures with them. They might even be as awesome as Magnatiles.