One opportunity that winter provides is the ability to see all those bird nests that had been so well hidden when the trees held leaves. Most often we see confirmation that birds are pretty solitary when they nest. In the breeding season, birds of a feather not only do not flock together but they quarrel over territory in which they attract mates and then forage for food to raise the young.But there are exceptions to this general rule. Some birds are what are called colonial nesters. That is, instead of defending an individual territory they build their nests close to each other. When birds nest in colonies they have to travel farther to find food since there is rarely enough in the immediate vicinity of the colony to feed the entire group. But this is offset by the protection provided by more eyes and ears. Colonial nesters come in all sizes from Purple Martens to Great Blue Herons. There is the beginning of a heron rookery in Brimfield that is visible from the turnpike. This year there was only a single pioneering family there. In time they will surely be joined by others.
More typically, the colony only succeeds because of the numbers. Such a species is the Monk Parakeet. These noisy, large green parrots made a foray into the southeastern portion of the state in recent years. Their large, active nest of sticks is the equivalent of a busy avian apartment building. It is truly a marvel to witness such a thing in a suburban back yard! But, to the best of my knowledge this colony has failed so one must go further afield to see this species.
We humans, like it or not, are more like Monk Parakeets than chickadees or even herons. We may quarrel about what is ours and work hard to obtain personal possessions, but in the end we desperately need each other. For the most part, a chickadee only needs other chickadees to propagate the species, but even they know enough to forage together when the going gets tough, say, in the winter. And while some of us may risk pioneering efforts like the solitary heron family did this year, the purpose of blazing a way is for others to follow. No, we are a species that is at its best when we lean on others for help. Together we are greater than we are individually. Jesus knew this when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that "they may all be one." Colonial living may try our patience. It might mean putting up with some that we would rather do without. But not one of us is indispensable, just as one body has many parts…and needs them all!
