So I asked the backyard birds —
the nuthatches, the robins, the
blue jays, the black-capped
chickadees, the yellow finches,
the wrens, mourning doves,
cardinals, catbirds and all the
others — where all their friends
have been and they said they have
disappeared over the years and
while they miss them they don’t
miss the competition for the
food at the bird feeders. I told
them that I thought that was a
little bit cold and they just
whistled me away.