Building a Nest

A pair of young scrub jays are building a nest in the blue potato bush, which had been pruned last winter, but now has already grown back, with purple flowers in bloom. As one arrives, alighting, with a twig in its beak, on the crotch of the yucca tree, the other darts out, then the first dives in, rattling the bush as construction gets underway. Sometimes one holds watch at the top of the neighboring plum tree, while the other goes foraging for material. This spring is quiet so far, no honeybees nor yellow jackets, even the bumblebees have stopped coming around, although the hummingbirds fly close to the hand holding the hose, begging for water, and dragonflies and butterflies have started to make their appearance, while the sun is out.