Suburban mulberries

Each morning I sit on my east-facing back porch and drink my breakfast smoothie and listen to all the morning sounds in my corner of the world.  It's commuters hustling to work... mostly oilies (oilfield workers) and tractors (not usually hustling), the wind gently (sometimes not-so-gently) making my alto chimes sing, and the little surburban hub of busyness living in the mulberries in my backyard. (Maybe they're hustling around for their morning commute, too, barking orders and trying to get little ones awake, fed, and shoes on and out the door.... um, nest.)  Several more bird "families" must have moved it to the neighborhood since last year because it's a much livelier place around here in the mornings... which doesn't make sense because I don't feed any dogs or cats outside anymore, so there is no more free breakfast perks.  I had never realized how much catfood birds (and skunks and strays) eat until I started feeding my cat inside.  You didn't know that birds eat catfood?  Oh, my, yes.  The food bowl used to sit outside my kitchen window and it was like a drive thru, no a fly thru.  I used to stand at the sink and watch as they'd sit on top of the storage building and come down, one bird at a time and swipe a mouthful and fly away with it, probably off to feed their bird-munchkins. 

Yesterday, I was walking around the base of the west tree (the one on the left) and noticed a nest.  That put me on an nest hunt... I could see six from the ground, but I know there are many more.  I couldn't see any in the east tree (the one on the right) but feel certain there are some in there, too.  I also noticed that each nest was unique unto itself.  Some were full of straw and built looser while others were tidy and compact.  Some were artsy with a flair for color and texture hence the string and twine. 

Some mornings they start rousing and singing early- 3am to 4 am.  Sometimes, if I'm rousing, too, I will crack open my bedroom window just to listen to their musical babble.  It's so calming and refreshing... the stress and sleeplessness just melt away when they start singing... much like a gentle rain on a dreary morning.