A really active afternoon for the birds. When I got to the sit spot the Black-capped Chickadees were starting to hit the feeder. I try not to look much or raise the camera towards them. Ignoring them seems to make them more active. The chickadees seem to be a (touchstone?) species. If the chickadees are feeding and moving about the other birds seem to feel safe to do so as well. There was new behavior by the chickadees. Usually, they get close to the feeder and then drop on it. Today, some were flying from over the flood plane of Fall Brook all the way to the feeder. Also, their flight path was directly in front of me! Not all of the chickadees were doing this but enough to notice that this was a new thing. The birds know which way I am looking. Most of the time when the chickadees are at the feeder I can hear Tufted Titmice. Usually behind me. (above) Today one came down to the feeder and I saw it. Took the pictures of this one after it moved off a bit. Then more came! One was less than ten feet right in front of my face! I did not try for a picture. I want them comfortable with me.
The Blue Jays came down into The Little Forrest in a way they never have before. They flew through at one point. At another one was low where it had a view of me. Was definitely checking me out. Mostly it had a view but its body was on the far side of a branch. One even was on Pinky just above the feeder. It declined to get on the feeder however.
This Northern Cardinal was also checking me out. It is rare that I get an unobstructed view of a cardinal. It is even more rare that they are as close as this one. I could not resist a picture. It flew off pretty fast. It landed a bit further off. It was mostly behind some branches but had a small direct view of me. It was still checking me out. The birds were comfortable with me today. At one point I saw three Downy Woodpeckers at the same time. They were moving about together. Neat to watch that.
Jon Young in his book What the Robin Knows talks about base line behavior. The more I sit in The Little Forrest the more I see. I do not really know what base line is. It has been incredibly different so many times. My guess is that it may take a few full years to really know what baseline is.
Merlin Identified 14 bird species. Most were the normal suspects. Yellow Billed Cuckoo came up. Red dot. It could have been traveling through on their way to South America.
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