Afternoons are a slow time. Merlin did not register a bird until minute seventeen. A goldfinch. Even for afternoon that is slow. With the wind and gusts, I suspect much of the song was blown away. I sit on the south side of the Little Forrest so the wind was blowing from my back and away. It definitely is starting to feel like fall. That could have something to do with it. Looking forward to tomorrows sit spot.
I think the Northern Cardinals have come to accept me in their home, The Little Forrest. I saw much more activity from them when I sat down. Flying from the copse of trees across from me to the ferns at the bottom of the gulley, to the vines on the far side of the gulley, and to trees on my side of the gulley. Just way more activity. Some of which is easy to miss. Through practice, I am making progress on my ability to see the happenings of The Little Forrest. A pair of cardinals in the open was kind of cool.
About twenty minutes into my sit the alarms went off! And this feral cat came through. I heard the squirrels screaming behind me before I saw the cat. The cat was moving fast and stealthily. Down into the gulley and into the ferns. For a moment it came out of the brush and gave me a look. That was when I was able to get the photograph. There were times that I could see it but could not photograph it in the undergrowth. This cat is a predator! It moved to the east towards Canco Woods as did the alarm calls. Not only were the squirrels screaming the birds were squawking. An incredible amount of noise. I probably saw more birds flying in the canopy, than I had in the six or seven weeks I have been doing this. The alarms, no doubt communicated that the threat was on the ground and go high in the trees. Merlin added six or so birds in this period. I could not really distinguish the individual species in the riot of noise.
There is another house cat I have seen. It just sits in the sun in the back yards of the houses across the gulley. No alarms for that cat. My guess is the animals of The Little Forrest know the cat. I suspect this cat gets fed at home.
There was something giving off an alarm call for twenty minutes or so after the predator cat passed. It was off to the west. The opposite direction of the cat. I have referred to this sound as agitated squirrel in the past. When I say squirrel I mean Grey Squirrel. The only squirrel I have seen in The Little Forrest. This alarm is not the warning call of a grey squirrel. Sounds more like a chipmunk but larger. Perhaps a red squirrel. I do not know. The birds were quiet for twenty to thirty minutes.
Merlin Identified 23 birds. Most of the usual suspects. It did not identify Mourning Dove, However, I saw three! They were not mourning this morning! A few red dots. Red shouldered hawk! It showed up dureing the alarm riot of noise. So I do not know if it was up above the Little Forrest or not. I love the sound of hawks on the wind.
Wow! I saw way more birds than I have before. Even with yesterdays chickadee feeding frenzy. I saw about five Northern Cardinals at the same time. So far they have been elusive. I could here them calling back and forth before. I was guessing that it was a pair and maybe it was. They really like the dense section of woods directly across from my sit spot. There is a (I need to find out) bush near 23's bird feeder. Birds often stop there before getting on to the feeder. (is it safe?) Mostly I have seen catbirds and downys on the feeder. Today the cardinals were hitting the feeder. At one point when I was looking at a Downy Woodpecker, a flock must have come over. I looked over towards the feeder and five cardinals flushed and flew across the gulley to the dense copse of trees. Two males, three females. I have seen birds fly between 23's feeder area and the dense copse before. However today I saw it happen many times. Perhaps, I was just missing it and I am getting better at spotting it. I think the birds are getting more comfortable with me. At one point there was a male less than twenty feet from me with a clear line of sight. No obstructing branches or leaves. Super cool! The birds are definitely more comfortable with me sitting there.
Photographer Steve McCurry said if you only have seven hours a week for photography do an hour each day. To keep your mind thinking about it. Every day. I am certainly thinking about the sit spot when I am not there. I get excited to see what happens next. Sorry for the poor photo.
Part of more being revealed is because of practice. We are not so much what we think as we are a collection of our habits. I am practicing sitting and watching The Little Forrest. Remember, Practice makes progress.
There was another visitor to 23's feeder this morning. I could see a bird in the bush and then in the grasses and weeds past where it is mowed. I had the binoculars on it for a bit. However I was looking through so much greenery I could not see it clearly. I was sure it was a Brown Thrasher. When it flew off I looked at Merlin and it had added Brown Thrasher! Unlikely in Portland today. Red dot. And yet...
Merlin identified 19 bird species. Only two had the red dot. Three more in the Unlikely in Portland today. However I have seen Baltimore Oriole, Carolina Wren, and Northern Flicker in Canco Woods recently.
8:00 to 9:10am, 64 Degrees, Clear Skies, Wind 4mph NW
I sat and immediately heard the call of a Red Bellied Woodpecker! Was hoping it would show itself, but no. Sounded like the call of a Downy Woodpecker but bigger. When I heard it I knew woodpecker, kind of cool. Had to look at Merlin to know what kind.
Some White-breasted Nuthatches were calling immediately as well. They started over by Fall Brook and moved east. I could hear a pair. At one point they were on Old Red. I thought they might creep down the tree and into sight. However they kept moving high in the trees maybe past Frank's house at the end of the gulley. At least they went past my ability to hear them.
A feeding frenzy for the chickadees! they came down to the feeder while I was there. The feeder is about twelve feet from my chair and about the hight of my head. I try not to stare or take too many pictures so that they feel comfortable. At one point there were three chickadees on the feeder at once. It is really wild to have fifteen or twenty birds all around me and taking turns hitting the feeder. More than one they flew within two or three feet of my head! I could hear the sound of their little wings. I could hear The Tufted Titmice during the frenzy. They seemed mostly to be behind me and close. They, however, never showed themselves. The titmice were more vocal and closer than normal. I suspect they wanted to get at the feeder but I was there.
Merlin heard twenty bird species. Mostly the usual suspects. It did show Oyster Catcher. The Little Forrest is definitely not their habitat. However, It could be flying overhead. Its about a half mile from Back Cove, a tidal marshy area. Also, Water Thrush came up again. Also, it put up a little blurb for where to look for the Water Thrush. I am curious if this has meaning. It does not always give me a little blurb when I use the sound identification feature. I will have to look and see if there is some water around the corner where the gulley meets the brook.
4:15 to 5:05pm, 74 Degrees, Sunny, Wind 7mph S
Ah afternoon, its just slow in the sit spot. The High School was having a game or practice and there was some carpentry across the gulley. This makes the birds chill a bit. Still things were happening. I saw the male cardinal for the first time! It was in the dense section of trees directly across the gulley. I have seen the female a few times now. Saw a White-breasted Nuthatch in Old Red. Always amazed by how big the nuthatch's call is. Saw another nuthatch down near where the gulley connects with Fall Brook and turns south to run into Back Cove. Back Cove is part of Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine which is in the Atlantic Ocean. The Little Forrest is connected to and part of much bigger world.
Merlin identified 17 bird species. I believe a few were wrong. I did not hear a raven. I think it mistook a jay. As much as I want to add the Water Thrush to my bird list, I am not.
6:15 to 7:00am, 63 Degrees, Foggy, Wind 3mph S
First time sitting in the fog. It seemed a little more subdued than normal for this time of day. Interesting even if a bit quiet. When I walked out to the sit spot. I could hear a nice little flock of American Goldfinches at the Island. It is a small patch of green in the middle of the parking area for the condominiums. Two red maples, three evergreens(Spruce/Hemlock?), grass, and two small gardens. As usual Cardinals and Goldfinches to start.
There is a dense group of trees behind house number two. So dense, that I cannot see the house. I saw a few birds moving about those trees this morning. I feel like I am getting better at seeing the birds. Saw a few up in the canopy on my side of the crick as well. Too high to make out what they were. Going to have to start bringing the binoculars.
At one point the Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice were behind me. Left, right and center. I sit inside the tree line. One large red maple is also outside the tree line. The birds like the red maples. Only one chickadee came down to the feeder. In front of me and to my left. Thought I was going to get a flurry of birds. Almost, but no! Maybe they will get used to me. When I got home there were chickadees and titmice in the red maple in front of my condominium. Most likely the same birds I heard in my sit spot. They were all over the feeders in front of my place for about twenty minutes. With a Downy Woodpecker thrown in for good measure.
At one point I heard a call high on the wind. Clear and repetitive. A big volume call like a hawk, definitely not a hawk sound. Bald Eagle! It may not have come down into The Little Forrest, however flying over counts. That gets added to the bird list for the sit spot.
Merlin Identified 16 species. Bald Eagle, White Throated Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Purple Finch, All had the red dot and Unlikely in Portland today. I have no doubt that was a bald eagle. I have seen enough around Back Cove. They are here. I saw an Oriole three days ago in Canco Woods so its probably here.
It was quiet in the sit spot for the first five minutes. Then came the Black-capped Chickadees! the one in the picture was maybe seven feet from my face! Really cool. I know at least the chickadees have found the feeder. And if the chickadees know, other birds know. For about five minutes the chickadees were feeding at the feeder. I could hear their calls start over near Fall Brook and back they went after spending time at the feeder. After snapping a few photos I let them be. Only occasionally looking directly at them. I want them to be comfortable with me. At one point I looked up at one, made eye contact, and it made an alarmed chirp and was gone. And yet, they kept coming. I am not sure if it was just a pair or more. They seem to be okay with me there!
At one point I heard a woodpecker pecking at a tree over by the brook. It sounded larger than the Downy Woodpeckers I see in the sit spot. I have seen downys pecking and they don't seem to make much noise. Then I saw a downy come from that direction as they do. At one point a male was in the dead tree just to my right. Maybe three feet from me and up six feet. Then it made its way over to the suet feeder at 23.
I saw my first chipmunk in The Little Forrest. I am surprised it took so long. I have seen them around the condominiums property, so i figured they must be in The Little Forrest. I have mentioned squirrels. I also saw a ground hog just outside the tree line. So much to be learned and observed. I ran into a neighbor who lives at the end of the gulley, just outside The Little Forrest. He referred to the gulley without my prompting. So clearly other folks think it is a gulley. He says skunks come out of it at night. This might be a sign that I should get a trail camera.
Merlin Identified 12 bird species. Nothing out of the Likely category. It was a quiet part of the day.
