Goldfinches Everywhere and Then Nothing

 5:00 to 5:40 pm, 81 degrees, some clouds, Wind 12 mph NW, Humidity 46%

It was the coolest feeling 81 in a long time. Wind and lower humidity was nice. In the first five minutes only Goldfinches, Blue Jay, and Song Sparrow.  Goldfinches are usually off to the right towards Fall Brook. And that is where I heard them first, in the distance. Then some off to my left almost as if they were doing call and response. And for a minute or so the entire canopy of the Little Forrest was lit up in goldfinch song. I kept expecting to see them explode through the canopy and fill the understory. Unfortunately, they remained high in the canopy. Around ten minutes in there was an agitated squirrel off towards Fall Brook. Then the bird sounds stopped for close to twenty minutes. Nothing not a distant crow, not a transient seagull, nor geese honking on high.  What set the squirrel and birds on alert? I do not know. Many such mysteries in the Little Forrest.

There were however some exciting new discoveries. There was activity at the Barrow's house! (Not their name, but it could be.) I have decided that is their name because the have a wheel barrow in the yard across the gully, that has the crick in it. Across the gully there are four single family homes I can see. The Barrow's have a golden retriever. Also, a daughter? who was weeding and looking at her phone. Much of society thinks humans are not part of nature. We are part of nature and shape it in many way both intentionally and unintentionally. 

I cannot imagine what The Little Forrest looked like as old growth forest. It looks as if at one point the gulley was clear cut. No Little Forrest, however the Crick would have been there. It looks as if some of the trees were there before the condominiums were built. Certainly Pinky and Old Red were there. Most of the other tress I have come to know seem much younger than fifty years. The Little Forrest has come to be mostly through neglect. Not a bad thing! Nature abhors a vacuum. Something will happen even if you do nothing! I have much curiosity about my sit spot. More will be revealed!