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These mornings are still dark when I get up and if the little darlings rise early, I put off my outdoor rounds till after breakfast, which is what happened today.
Consequently, I went out later than usual.
On my way I back in I saw Grant coming the other way and he gestured for me to walk up to where he was watching a bird in the nearby woods.
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It was sitting on a twig all puffed up, with its wings drooping, so we wondered at first if it was injured, but this soon proved not to be the case.
The bird didn’t seem bothered by our attention, but we couldn’t get a good look, so Grant went to fetch my camera in the hope we could identify it.
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It had the markings of a sparrow but it looked twice the size.
Amazingly, the bird waited patiently for Grant to return and posed to have its picture taken.
On close inspection, sure enough it proved to be a white-throated sparrow.
I can’t account for it appearing so large!
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It doesn’t look very big here, does it?
Big or small, fancy or “just ordinary”, I love them all.
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Because I’d gone to look at the sparrow and because it was a bit later, I got some views I otherwise would have missed.
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There is so much more to Fall than its stunning colours.
It should be appreciated in all of its myriad stages, changing with the time of day and current weather.
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Blue sky or gray or in between.
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Do you like the trees still in full leaf?
Semi-naked?
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Or entirely so?
There is something about the bare bones of a tree.
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Perhaps I’m odd, but I have a particular liking for images of those last few leaves clinging on like vestiges of hope for a lost cause.
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A dove waiting for a turn at the feeders.
That almost dead tree serves as a waiting room.
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Do you like large leaves or small?
Red leaves or gold or orange?
White bark or brown?
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The shimmering and rustle of aspen leaves are hard to match, in my view and they are a sight to behold.
Then there is the filtered light that falls through a still thick canopy to pick out splashes of brightness.
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Noticing the clouds, I went back out at lunchtime to get the comparative shots.
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Varying the angles.
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As I came back past the house, movement caught my eye.
“Oh hello! It’s you again!”
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“Yes, missus. Food’s better here.”
It really is just sparrow-sized!
There are no ordinary birds.
Thank you, Carolyn, for your beautiful nature musings, and wonderful photography.
Joanna x
It always amazes me how birds can appear so very different in size by puffing up their feathers, and how big they seem when they sun bathe to help get rid of mites!
Isn’t it amazing how the bird waited for Grant to fetch the camera … I think it’s a bird that knows who you are! Autumn is a beautiful season in your yard and your question about how I like trees made me think it’s a difficult question to answer. Because trees in any season look beautiful to me — even when it’s bare in Winter. And the leaves and bark? Oh, tough questions – I like them all. But today I like your little feathered friend the most.
I agree that ‘small and ordinary’ birds are equally as interesting as the large and colourful ones. As for Autum, it is still mostly green around here, despite the huge falls of leaves.
Best wishes, Pete.