Patience

 2:30 to 4:00pm, 65 Degrees, Clear Skies, Wind 5mph ESE, Bar 30.39 fall

It takes time to gain the trust of the inhabitants of the Little Forrest. The Black-capped Chickadees are loving the thistle feeder. At this point I do not think they care that I am there. The Tufted Titmice (above) are not as sure about me. I was there for a while. At first the titmice were very skittish. If I so much as looked at the feeder when they were on it they were gone. They would not get on the side facing me. If I so much as lifted the camera...just gone. Ignoring them and sitting quietly made them more comfortable. I believe they live upstream of where I sit. On the other side of Fall Brook. In the beggining their flight pattern was more indirect. They would fly through the smaller trees, bushes and brush. Stopping along the way to see if it was safe. After a while they were flying out of the brush on the other side of the brook straight to the feeder. Sitting still is sometimes the right action. 

I saw more Grey Catbirds than I have seen before. They were not getting as close as the chickadees and the titmice. However they are getting closer. I suspect that they see me not bothering their smaller friends. Maybe, they think, I am okay. The Blue Jays are getting closer as well. Their flight pattern to the feeder at Number 2 was not over my feeder or sit spot. A couple of times they sat over the feeder. Quite high, close enough to check out what is going on though. I wonder if they will hit the feeder when I am there. Patience. Time in the Little Forrest. Time takes time. 

I heard a woodpecker banging on a tree above. I saw it a few times. Moving about. Probably the same bird that I posted yesterday. I believe a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, juvenile.  There are some holes on a dead branch in the tree it was moving about on. I wonder if it is its nest. More will be revealed in time. 

Merlin Identified 22 bird species. No red dots today! The sapsucker was Likely in Portland Today. There was a American Golden Plover on the list. Not Likely in Portland Today. Also, It is a shore bird. It is less than a half mile to shore habitat as the plover flies. Not going to add it to the list. It is a beautiful bird though.