Joann Merritt's Essays

It’s All Relative
June, 2006

My comeuppance as Head Family Birdwatcher began on April 8 when nephew Raymond and wife Carolyn reached us via cellphone while we were on a Midnat field trip at Hill Park to report that roadrunners were nesting in the shrubby tree right by their house. In the ensuing weeks the road runner family successfully raised their brood.

Next sister Vera called on May 27th to report a Bewick’s Wren exiting the decorative birdhouse that was hanging in her front entryway. This adorable cottage-style painted birdhouse was given to her by niece Norma & husband Keith, it was NOT the Audubon approved, carefully measured and constructed wooden one that Vera had purchased as per my suggestion!! The wrens now fuss and scold if anyone dares approach their home. Vera is elated to have the tail-twitching little brown Wren Family dwelling there and they can fuss or scold anyone at anytime they need to!

Great-niece Shayne was excited when a pair of Barn Swallows chose her home as the location they most wanted to build their nest on and raise a family. Husband Chad wasn’t pleased about the mess they made while construction was underway but Shayne prevailed. She took photographs and e-mailed the pictures and reports to sister-in-law Jackie & brother Ray. The swallows are now incubating eggs in their comfy mud and straw home.

Nephew Jimmy & wife Lisa now have Cardinals nesting in their yard, and last year they had Bluejays that successfully raised young.

Not to be outdone by the William’s side of the family, brother Frank and wife Viola Merritt proudly announced a pair of Robins nesting in a tree by their carport. In the following weeks one lone nestling was well cared for by the parents and when it fledged it was seen on the electric wires still being tended to and fed. Mississippi Kites stayed at the back of the house for weeks, putting on a show that would make Soap Opera stars blush, but they haven’t been seen since Midland’s last thunder and rain storm.

What’s a poor original family birdwatcher to so? My only hope of reclaiming my birding position in the family is having the Bell’s Vireo find a mate, construct its distinctive hanging nest and raise offspring here. Mr. Bell is giving it his best shot, he’s been singing steadily for 10 days now.