…on this Memorial Day Holiday weekend 🇺🇸 and the unofficial start of Summer here in Tubman Garrett Park in Wilmington Delaware.
Life sized bronze multifigure statue (a rarity in the art world) dedicated to Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett who were remarkably instrumental in creating and maintaining the US Civil War Underground Railroad directing escaped slaves from the southern US up through Delaware and onto trains going north to Philadelphia New York and eventually Canada that ran out of the station where today’s Wilmington Amtrak Station sits.
This cozy tiny house is not for humans. It is just one example of the meticulously handcrafted pole nesting boxes for common Swifts - a relatively small bird usually found in country wetlands and emerging from urban chimneys (hence the nickname Chimney Swifts) easily recognizable by their V shaped tail feathers. They’re capable of eating their own weight in biting stinging pesky insects such as mosquitoes and flies. The boxes and birds are a common sight along the Atlantic US coastline. It’s definitely a “if you build it they will come” scenario. And the birds can be somewhat choosy, passing a box that’s not quite ornate enough or hasn’t enough individual nesting openings. But… if they decide to roost in your creation you’ll be rewarded with free pest control all summer!
My two little buddies that now come to expect a morning treat from me. I’ve named them Christine and Willy - for the Christina River and the City of Wilmington Delaware where I am right now. After two months of patiently coaxing they share the piece of bread I save from my dinner every night at the homeless shelter - even taking bits of bread right out of my hand now! Here they are wading in the glow of sunrise awaiting my daily arrival and their treat. Who knew such feathered friends could be so cathartic 😎
It’s a beautiful morning! Here… have some Young Rascals 🎶
