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Sarasota News Leader December 14, 2012 Page 74 your feeder upon your return. They remem- zet. You see, ever since you wrote, I have not bered it and sought it out. been able to get the Habanera aria out of my head. I have been humming it all night long! So, what happened? Well, something wonderIn the aria, Carmen explains that a bird is a reful! bellious and untamable love. The minute you It rained all over Sarasota. And it rained often. think it is yours, it beats its wings and flies The years of drought that drove the birds reg- away. It will not come to you when called, but ularly to your feeder were washed away along you still call and call to it, quite in vain. So with the birds��� dependency on it. Meadows, you wait and wait and when least expected, gullies, woods and even the sandy stretches of suddenly it is back! dunes and scrublands were suddenly teeming It is December and we are again in the dry seawith life ��� insect life! son. The days are turning a bit chilly. Plants Spanish Needles, Scorpion-tail, Lantana and are starting to shrivel and insects have begun Firebush revived and bloomed, attracting to die or hibernate. Cardinals will crave your bees, wasps, butterflies and moths. Ponds, black oil sunflower seed and the Blue Jays will filled to their banks, swarmed with flies, bee- so appreciate the corn in your feeder. Soon tles, centipedes and dragonflies. I get hungry the birds will return to your feeder ��� maybe this week; maybe next month ��� when you just writing about it! least expect them. The insects, a vital component of a ���backyard��� bird���s diet, were again plentiful. The grasses Trust Carmen! She may have chosen men and sedges again provided a vast assortment poorly, but she was downright perspicacious of seeds. Bushes and trees bore berries, sea when it came to birds. grapes, acorns. Mother Nature���s cornucopia L���amour est un oiseau rebelle ���. was overflowing. The birds, once so dependent on your feeder, could fly much further Otus afield, nourished on their travels by their faABOUT OTUS vorite berries, crunchy (but so juicy inside) Otus Rufous, an Eastern Screech-Owl, was born on Siesta Key and is a full-time resident there. An avid hunter, beetles and flavorsome sea oat seeds. Will they return to your feeder? And when? The answer lies in the opera Carmen by the great composer and ornithologist Georges Bi- accomplished vocalist and genuine night owl, Otus is a keen observer of our local wildlife and knows many of nature���s secrets. Otus will answer your questions about our amazing wildlife, but only if you Ask Otus. So please send your questions and photos to askotus@sarasotanewsleader.com. Thank you. Take Your Time You Have All Week Enjoy The News Leader Anytime - Day or Night