What a wonderful narrative, Deborah, and the photos are splendid.

Because I live near an elementary school, and there are long lines of traffic on school days, many birds are quiet and unseen until the traffic settles down. My best morning time for bird photos is after 8:45 when classes start. Except during holidays and summer break. Of course, that's because most of my bird shots take place in a relatively dense neighborhood with a school.