Waiting for the Sun

The Farm Side for the week is done and submitted, a mixed bag of signs of fall, omens for winter, and corn harvest news. 

It is still pretty foggy and not so very light out yet.

However, as soon as the sun clears the fog the least little bit I am out of here. Yesterday, after an early week so busy there was little time to get out and look around, I spent around a half an hour birding as hard as I could.

Oddly, in all seasons, the area right around the house yields the greatest number of species almost every time I go outdoors. That is understandable in winter when the feeders bring the birds in, but seems weird this time of year. What is it about the hedgerow right in front of the house that brings the warblers and fall sparrows in when they are so much less common out on the hill....where there are similar hedgerows everywhere? Nine or ten species in fifty feet or so.

A friendly Eastern Phoebe, one of many that live around our buildings

I don't know but yesterday there were so many small birds in the short stretch directly across the driveway from the house that I literally didn't know where to look. While I was following a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, hoping for a photo, a different bird popped into view. Despite never having seen one before I knew that it was a Blue-headed Vireo, a life bird for me, but one that is quite distinctly marked compared to many fall visitors.

I was happy all day on the strength of it, despite our failure to find Ring-necked Pheasants during a long drive later in the day. After this week's events we all needed some happy.

And so today, as soon as the light makes it feasible, I'll be out there again. Wish me luck.

The only pheasants we found....