Today will be 1 week my Towhees have not been seen or heard in my yard and I am at a loss.
The last time I saw them both was Thursday January 21st around 5 pm. They come by throughout the day but especially in the evening by 4:30 or so for their last feeding of the evening or what I refer to the end of happy hour. Singing their duet and taking turns grabbing worms and bread at their special bowl until they are full. The male usually heads up to the rooftop and waits for his partner. He looks out for predators and when it’s all clear he makes his call and heads east over our fence to the neighbors. The female follows and as they flew past me, I said “bye my birds… I love you” This would be the last time I would see them.
Friday had come and gone and I did not see my birds. This is not the first time that either I missed them, or they just didn’t make it to our yard. I figured that I would definitely see them Saturday. I prepped their food that morning and left their bowl. This time of year, the white crowned sparrows are with us and they know my call to the Towhee’s for meal time. lol They all gather in the tree and wait for me to put the bowl down and before not too long, they dive in 1 at a time snagging worms and seeds. These little guys love peanuts.
As it would turn out, I had to run errands that morning and was sure I would see my Towhee’s in the early afternoon. around 11:00-1:30 they usually come by. Time however passed and still no sign of my birds.
Then, as the midday sun began to fade, I noticed it was after 3:00 and I grew anxious and sad. What would be another day of not seeing my birds, the sadness set in and then came some tears as I started to call out for them “Phoebes” Where could my little birds be? I waited till the sparrows finished eating and even saw my silly Mockingbird and then everyone dispersed for the evening and cleanup began.