Sightings

Last time I hiked up the ridge I'd spotted several fir and cedar seedlings along the road under the power lines. I try to dig these up before they get too large and transplant them in the woods near my house. The power company will poison or cut these eventually, so besides providing me free trees, I get to feel righteous for saving trees. I packed the shovel and boxes into my farm vehicle to get as many as I could.

While I was up there I decided to walk down to the end of my property, where I hope to eventually install a fence. I went into the woods to see if I could find the surveyors tags. Woods are so amazing. Within a few feet the outside world goes away, and all that exists are the woods and the birds in them. These woods were filled with golden-crowned kinglets, busy birds barely bigger than hummingbirds. It was too wet to get to the surveyors marks, but I managed to get back out of the woods without stepping into the stream hiding under the very tall grass and rushes, and bumped into posts from an old boundary fence. Right where I thought they should be.

As I started back up the track alarm calls burst from the woods, and then silence. I too stopped and looked around for the danger. A pair of bald eagles came into view, flying low over the clearing, white heads and tails gleaming. What a treat! I've been seeing these large birds more frequently lately, but still rarely enough that it gives me a thrill.

The trees are replanted, and I still feel the glow of my bird encounters, and can hear the high twits of the lovely kinglets.