Another Gift

 8:30 to 10:00am, 45 Degrees, Clear Skies, Wind 10mph NNW, Bar 30.40 rise

There were White-throated Sparrows all over the mouth of the Gulley. Just all over the place. It is hard to tell just how many are there. They feed on the ground and in among the plants. Lots of plants moving but do not perch that often. I took the picture of the one above as I was walking out. What a gift! The sparrow perched and stayed for a few moments. 

At times it felt slow in my sit spot today, Even though the white-throats were active just about the whole time. They were in The Bog too. Many hopped up into the Buckthorn above the feeder. They occasionally wandered around in the dry run below the feeder. At one point I saw birds flying low across Fall Brook. Not a usual thing. White throats! Were there thirty, forty, or a hundred. I am not sure how to count them. They were everywhere.

Merlin Identified 25 species. I saw 7 species. I am confident that most of them were there. Or flew over. I did not see the geese. I did hear them. Purple Finch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White Crowned Sparrow would alll be new to the list. I am not sure if I should add things I do not see or have confidence they are there. If I hear a clear call and Merlin says what it is yes. 

What feels like a gift to you in this moment?

Peanuts

8:00 to 9:40, 51 Degrees, Clear Skies, Wind 7mph W, Bar 29.98 even

It was really quiet and then birds were everywhere! Not sure why it was so quiet. I heard a few squirrels and chipmunks being alarmed. But not the whole forrest at once.  Not too windy for the birds, just quiet. It took over an hour for the first Black-capped Chickadee to come to the feeder. Even if it is only a pair or two hear and there they are around. I at least hear them. As does Merlin. Not today. I have been puttting a few peanuts out when I sit. Hoping that the Blue Jays will come in. 

First the chickadees came in. Then a large flock of robins. At one point there were five or more in the Buckthorn above the feeder. Twenty or thirty all around! White-breasted Nuthatches were coming in. Then Downy Woodpeckers. The Tufted Titmice came too. Then the Blue Jays started coming closer. Above and around. Watching what is going on in the Little Forrest. High but watching the feeder and me no doubt. They saw the peanuts! I do not know if the other birds let them know. However, the jays got closer and closer. Into the Buckthorn first. Then one grabbed a peanut. And then another. Before long a flock of jays were grabbing peanuts. One at a time. They never hit the regular feeder. I guess there is enough reward for a peanut to grab those, when I am there. When the peanuts were gone so were the jays.

While the feeder frenzy was happening, other birds were feeding in the Bog. White-throated Sparrows were everywhere. A few Carolina Wrens were about. And my favorite the Mystery Birds. Not sure why they were quiet and then not. A mystery. Many mysteries in The Little Forrest.

Merlin Identified 20 species. I saw 9 species. I think the Mallard was a agitated squirrel. I suspect the rest were there mostly the birds common to the Little Forrest. 

Peanuts. Often an expression of I did not get much. However, the small often seemingly insignificant things can bring great gifts. Do not overlook the small things. They can be great gifts. I had a wonderful experience for peanuts. What a gift!

Windy

 3:00 to 4:00pm, 68 Degrees, Clear Skies, Wind 14mph W, Bar 29.73 rise

When It is windy the birds are less visible. Just not much happening out in the sit spot today. I saw no Black-capped Chickadees today. I believe that is the first time since I moved down to the banks of Fall Brook. I guess if you weigh a half an once, like a chickadee, 14mph winds is a big deal. It does not feel windy down in the Fall Brook Valley. Especially if the wind is from the west. I am sitting probably fifty feet below the tops of the condominiums. I knew it would be slow. I decided to go out anyway.

It is possible to learn even when you don't know what you are learning. My guess is the gut level stuff is being learned on a sit like today. the yogis of old believed much memory was stored in our guts and our hearts. Not just our brains. the expression "it was a visceral reaction", "a gut reaction", "a heart felt reaction", are all examples of this. I can often distinguish between a branch moving because of wind, bird, squirrel. I think those are more stored in my body than brain. Stuff connected to the fight or flight responses. I think these things come from lived experience. Also, I think some of them are multi-generational memories. Perhaps, the lived experiences bring them out. 

Merlin heard 10 species. I saw 1. The wind keeps the birds down. I have no doubt that all the species it heard were there. I heard most of them myself. 

Picture of Downy Woodpecker from a few days ago.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

 Ruby throated Hummingbird September 2026. I think the feeders around the Little Forrest count. Also, I really want to replace this one. Next year...

Brown Creeper

 Brown Creeper October 2026 in The Little Forrest.

The Time of Long Shadows

 8:30 to 10:00am, 41 Degrees, Clear skies, Wind 4mph SSW, Bar 30.01 even

We have entered the time of long shadows. In Maine this time of year, and until spring, the shadows are always long. There really is no midday sun. Summer days are glorious and wonderful, winter is long. It takes hours before the sun reaches the floor of the Fall Brook Valley this time of year. It does not last long now. Picture above of a Brown Creeper. I took a few pictures before and after it was in this sunny spot. It was hard to see the creeper in the pictures. Same with a few other bird shots.

The birds were active today. Many out in the open. I think the lack of wind is important. I saw a Hermit thrush again! They call them hermits because you do not see them often. I am once again amazed by luck. Looking in the right place at the right time. I saw the creeper fly into a tree. My thought was it was not a normal/regular bird. I used the binoculars and followed it around the trees for a bit. It eventually got to a spot where I could shoot it. Had I not seen it initially it could have moved around me for a minute or two and I would have been never the wiser. Now it was not total luck. I have been practicing finding birds. Practice makes progress! I know to look for motion. I was in a place where I can find a creeper. Luck never happens on the couch. I/you can take actions to be in the right place and time to be lucky.

I finally saw a Red-Breasted Nuthatch. Always nice to see a bird for the first time in The Little Forrest. The creeper was a first. I thought they might have gone south. I checked and they are a year round resident! Who knew? Some good looks at a Red-bellied Woodpecker. They tend to be elusive. 

Merlin Identified 27 species. I saw 17 of them plus a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I also saw some kind of raptor flying above the Little Forrest On my way out. A really good day for bird watching in my sit spot today. 

Remember, you can create your own luck. Study. Practice. Practice makes progress! Putting yourself out there. You can find the right place and time. You will never be discovered sitting on the couch!

Mysteries

 

8:00 to 9:00am, 47 Degrees, Clear, Wind 14mph W, Bar 29.94 rise

I am sure the squirrel is wondering what the man is doing over there. So many mysteries in The Little Forrest. While I heard a fair amount of bird chatter, I did not see many species of birds. It seems lately, the birds are hiding more. Perhaps, they know there is a man with a camera over there. The American Robins I saw were mostly in the sun. Up high where the sun was illuminating the trees. I saw something move. First thoght was a bird. It was down low. I could see gray fur so I thought squirrel. It was not moving like a squirrel. It moved further into the brush. I could still see parts of it. I was thinking maybe skunk. It shall remain a mystery. I also, heard an animal scream. Perhaps, a cat or squirrel being attacked. Then quiet. I listened for squirrel and Jays alarms but the did not come. Another mystery. I do not have enough time in The Little Forrest to know yet. More will be revealed. I am getting better at noticing which birds are which in silhouette. At least the birds I see most often. Practice makes progress.

There was a good bit of bird song for the first twenty minutes or so. Then things got quiet. Maybe a bit after the animal scream. I was just looking over the bog and hoping something would move down in the bramble of plants down there. A hawk came flying over the Bog from the north. Over the Bog down Fall Brook then east to the far side of the brook. It went out of my sight. I expected the jays to call up a storm. However it remained silent. I wonder if the hawk, probably a coopers, came down the Gulley or from the North outsside the Little Forrest. It will remain a mystery. I could easily have missed the hawk. It went through in maybe two seconds. How many times has something gone through and I just did not notice? 

Merlin Identified 20 species of birds. I saw a coopers hawk as well. I saw 5 species. Not a great average.