As I look out the window at the finch feeder, I can't help but remember the day I came home from work only to be met by two different neighbors. The German neighbor from across the street came running waving her arms and all I could think is "what happened" and "this can't be good."As soon as she got to my car and I got out, she was yelling that "someone's canary got out and it's been in your yard all day." I of course was concerned and instantly starting thinking about how to catch it because canaries aren't meant to live in the wild in Kentucky. As I'm listen to the neighbors and thinking of what to do I hear "THERE IT IS, THERE IT IS." I turn look at the feeder and instantly start laughing. They were not amused when I said "that's not a canary, that's a gold finch." Since they didn't believe me, I proceeded to go in my apartment and get my bird book. Only then did they believe me that it wasn't someone's pet canary.
That day I felt good that I had educated a few people on the birds of Kentucky. When I bought my house and moved I presented each of those neighbors with their own finch feeder and bag of seed. They were so happy that they would still be able to see the "Kentucky Canaries" after I left. I only hope that they still have that same enthusiasm for those little gold finches.
When I was 14 my grandpa bought me a BB gun. I was out at his farm learning to shoot it and took aim at a couple birds (apologies to all our feathered friends out there). I didn't hit anything. But the next day I put my sights on a yellow bird and BANG, nailed it. My grandpa came out, told me the Goldfinch was Iowa's state bird and that the state trooper were going to come take me away. I remember crying - thinking I was going to jail. Since then I only shoot pheasants. :)
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