Tuesday, October 28, 2008

This past Friday I took a walk through David Weld Sanctuary. The place has been attracting many visitors lately. I imagine the autumn colors are the reason for that. It was quiet on Friday though, and when I arrived I had the preserve to myself, which is just fine by me. Solitary walks through the woods have always been a favorite pastime for me.

It was a beautiful sunny morning and there were many birds to be seen. A great many of them were Robins who were very busy. I couldn’t ascertain what they were busy with but it involved a great deal of flitting between the branches after and with each other, and it was taking all their time. Their antics made for a very entertaining show and decent pic or two. As I was watching the Robins I noticed some birds that I was unfamiliar with. They were more subdued and retiring than the Robins but I got a few shots off.

When I got home I pulled out my Sibley’s and started flipping through the pages. My best guess was a Cedar Waxwing but, not being a birder, I really couldn’t be sure. The birds in the book seemed to be more colorful than mine, but the illustration of the juvenile was right on, even down to the yellow edging on their tails. I emailed a pic to several of my friends at Sweetbriar who are very good with bird identification. Janine, John, Nancy, and Sue (who is also with the Four Harbors Audubon Society) all confirmed my sighting. It’s always cool, getting a new critter under my belt. Thanks you guys. JK