Well, Come On In!

A pure-dee, Peterson-Plate-56-perfect, rufus-side towhee (jo-ree) is on my office windowsill, acting like he wants to come in. This is one of the most beautiful birds, to me; not quite as big as one of our full-grown robins. His breast is white, with a black V from his throat, like a meadowlark. The two wide sides, like a cutaway coat, are a deep terra-cotta color, and his back and tail feathers are dark gray with white spots. His head is black or dark gray, and his eyes are supposed to be red, but they look black to me. This bird has hopped around in front of these two windows for at least five minutes. I told him, "If I let you in, you'd want out again five minutes later. Just like Mo." Now he has the sun in his eyes, and they are dark orangey-red. He makes a little "cheep" whistle every few seconds, which I try to copy. Scratching fleas or mites.
*
Yesterday was Jed's birthday, which I forgot in all the tornado trauma that was going on. Tried off and on all day yesterday to call Susan, but her phone was out. I drove down there this morning to check on her, and all is well. I think she even has the power back on now.
*
Now the bird is pecking and scratching at the window-glass. What's going on here? Maybe my whistles have fooled him into thinking there's a bird in here?
*
I went outside and followed the bird with the camera, but could never get a clear shot at him. I found what he was whistling at, though--a nest in the privet hedge, with a mama bird sitting on it. I guess he thought she had somehow got behind that window-glass.

*

A tree is down in Mrs. Adams's yard, across the street. But it fell away from the house, fortunately. There are several houses on this street with trees laid across the roofs. Many people died in those tornadoes yesterday, mostly in Alabama. It's heartbreaking.