Ominous Skies

 6:00 to 6:45am, 66 degrees, 100% Clouds, W 8mph S

Storms a coming! Did not go out for sunrise because the conditions were not conducive to good pictures. Went to the sit spot a little after sunrise.(6:47am) This is usually one of the most active times for bird song. There was some good song this morning. Goldfinches leading the way, less Cardinals than usual. I am seeing better into the Little Forrest. I saw a few birds this morning up in the canopy. 

I saw what I think was a Blue Jay. Light was not good. It started up high on the other side of the Crick. Moved over to the high eastern branches of Pinky. (White Oak side) Then lower in the middle somewhere. Flitted behind the trunk and was on some of the lower west branches in front of the trunk. Stopping at each spot and checking things out. It was a somewhat circular motion around the bird feeder. The feeder is to the east of Pinky and below their branches. Then it was gone off to the west. I think the seed is going down. It reminded me of the Downey Woodpecker yesterday. 23 has a new suet cake out. It came down from the east. I heard it over there. I believe it flew behind me before landing on one of Pinky's dead branches. Lower west side. Then to the bush in front of the suet. Checking to see if it is safe before going to the feeder. I suspect the Blue Jay? knew I was there. I sit maybe fifteen feet to the east of it. 

Many mysteries in The Little Forrest. At one point the crows were crowing off in Chevrus Woods. Several swooped in through the understory. A squirrel was agitated and calling an alarm in the red maple just outside the tree line. (Merlin Thinks this is a Mallard) It went on for some time. Maybe a hawk, owl, or eagle. Who knows. Perhaps, if I sit enough some of the mysteries will reveal themselves. 

Merlin Identified 17 species. Mallard was a missed guess. That was a squirrel. Perhaps the Junco is an early one. I think the Red Bellied Woodpecker was there.