[mou] Water feature score!

[Thomas Maiello]

I am finding myself eagerly arising every morning now to check out  
the birds around my water feature.  This morning I arose to another  
completely new bird for my yard and a lifer for me!  A fully mature  
and delightfully colored male WESTERN TANAGER was dancing around my  
pools and fountain.  Simply breath-takingly beautiful.

I have spiced up the area a bit with handfuls of a cheap seed mix  
with millet and the like and it has produced a true bounty.  I have  
flocks of Chipping and White Throated Sparrows mixing in with a Song  
Sparrow, Blue Jays, my resident annual Brown Thrashers, Downy and  
Hairy Woodpeckers, robins of course, residual Juncos, eternal though  
decreased numbers of House Sparrows and FInches, congregating  
grackles and now the occasional First of the Yard visitors!   What  
next will feather it's way into my Spring joy?  Pinch me Ethyl, I  
must be dreamin'!  (who the heck is Ethyl?)

Thomas Maiello
Spring Lake Park