Recently, our good friends Graham and Marg Macdonald were visited by their sister-in-law from the UK and we were happy to join them on a stroll along the Mill Race in St. Jacobs.
The birds were cooperating and Rachel proved to be a bird whisperer of the highest order.
A White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) made its presence known with a loud greeting, and was quickly spotted.
I am quite sure that this feast is equivalent to Lobster Thermidor and Baked Alaska rolled into one for a nuthatch!
Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) were not going to let the feast pass without gleaning their share and they, too, swooped onto Rachel's outstretched hand.
What joy!
When I take people along the Mill Race I always tell them that I can pretty much assure them a chickadee on the hand, with a good chance of a nuthatch, too. To complete the trifecta, however, a friendly, confident Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) is needed, and that's far from assured.
This male, however, took one glance at Rachel's hand, and glided down in an instant.
Her first visit to The Mill Race and she had a perfect score!
A few curious Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) came to see what was going on, hoping no doubt for a little cracked corn, but I had none with me.
American Robins (Turdus migratorius) were ubiquitous, attracted by a super abundant berry crop and dense stands of Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica).
Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) were drawn to the same rich pickings.
At the end of our walk we enjoyed coffee and scones at the Eco Café.
It is a safe assumption that the denizens of the Mill Race were abuzz with excitement following Rachel's visit - chickadees chattering, nuthatches nattering, woodpeckers whooping, ducks quacking and waxwings whistling.
Rachel Carson believed that every person has to respectfully repay an eternal debt to nature; safe to say that another Rachel did that today.
hello David.
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog and saw lots of wonderful photos of birds of your country.
You said in your profile that youhave birded on every continent except Antarctica. Hope you can do that in Indonesia
By the way, I've just followed your blog, and I hope you'll follow mine in return, my friend. Let's stay connected and become friends
A big hello from Indonesia
It must be fun to feed the birds from your hand, David. That nuthatch looks a lot like the one in the garden here—*Sitta europaea*. It’s a lively and active bird. Mills Race looks like a fantastic area for walking.
ReplyDeleteHugs and kisses, Marit
Such beautiful little creatures and so beautifully photographed!
ReplyDeleteThe Black-capped Chickadees, like their cousins here, are always my favourites.
The weather in your photos looks sunny and cheerfully summery, despite some colourful and fallen leaves. Here it's grey and very humid in these days.
Happy Sunday!