After a quick drive to Carter Lake and Levi Carter Park, an early morning Saturday outing ended where it usually does. The bird-feeder was refilled, as it has been on some many recent days since their was a alternative feed mix. Once changed, — though the hungry birds don't ask — they obviously prefer that an ample amount of food be available. Their antics are obvious, a backyard distance from the house window.
When a recently arrived robin took a drink of stagnant water, that did not seem right. Robins are particularly indicative of what they want. This includes clean water, as seen in the neighborhood and at midtown Omaha parks. This one bird was looking for a drink, and its option was not particularly attractive.
Some attentive time was required to get water into the bird bath. The process included filling a container and carrying three of them out back, with the first one needed to flush the winter scum away to make sure the bowl was clean. The fresh water was used to flush the bird-bath, the there was a flurry of finger action to scrub away the winter's accumulation of brownish scrum. The more water was used to fill the thing, during this first of the season, overall cleansing.
With clean water, a robin, once again or another, and perhaps a thirsty squirrel, as well as other local birds can drink from this bird-bath. There is no putrid water here, that might convey languid attention and worthless concern.
Food and water are essential for all sorts of wild birds. At Carthage, despite it being an urban place, each of the three essentials occur in a manner to help them survive.
The geese were flying overhead today in their typical seasonal skeins. Their calls were a bird moment or two for this day. That expressive Red-bellied Woodpecker continues to be attentive to his chosen place a bit of a ways away among the street trees. It is a wonderful time to enjoy the many sorts of birds now present in Nebraska.