Dreary

 

6:40 to 8:00 am, 64 Degrees, Cloudy, Wind 8mph E, 

There is a a storm coming. I think I need to start adding barometric pressure to the top line. I suspect birds are far more attune to that than modern humans are. Should start raining after dark tonight. I may have felt some heavy mist or a drop in my sit spot. The birds seemed subdued. There was chatter just not that much. Also, I do not think it was blowing 8 mph like the app said. 

As I said yesterday, I moved the sit spot ten feet to the east. And was rewarded with a view of this hole in a tree. Maybe a white oak. Will definitely investigate more. It looks as if there is a whole on the left hand side as well. A green leaf in there makes me think it is in use. Perhaps a woodpecker? A squirrel hole? I saw nothing come or go, yet. More will be revealed if I just sit and let it happen.

Since the birds were quiet this morning I was sitting very still. No turning, shifting, craning my neck, just still. At one point I turned and a small greenish yellow bird was coming right for me. It was perhaps five or six feet from me when I picked it up. It flew within two feet of my face and it was moving. I never really got to focus on it. It came and went in about a second. One of those did this just happen moments. Wild! I am guessing Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Unlikely in Portland today. I am only guessing this as Merlin Identified it today. The Little Forrest is wild. 

I am once again reminded by how much can be learned by sitting quietly and listening. Not just learning about birds. I never once learned anything by speaking. It is by listening that I learn. Folks will talk to fill the void. It is amazing what can be learned by sitting quietly and letting life happen around you. 

Merlin heard 23 species. It did not pick up Herring Gull. I heard a few on the wind. Northern Waterthrush again. This was a mis identification today. It was picking up a chipping noise at the top of the Gulley. Not where the waterthrush would be. It heard a Great Egret for the first time in The Little Forrest. This I will add to the list. Very plausible one was flying over. Not going to add the fly catcher to the list. It is plausible that the flycatcher was migrating to its wintering grounds in Southern Mexico and Central America. Wildly connected to the world is The Little Forrest.