On the Move

Half Moon Geese – Photo: L. Weikel

There were a lot of creatures on the move today. From two leggeds to four leggeds to winged ones, movement was the name of the game.

For the first time in several days, I heard the distinctive call of the Red-shouldered Hawk again today. I’m pretty sure at least one pair made their nest directly across the road from us. Probably because the missus wanted to be near the raptor equivalent of Friendly’s (aka our bird feeders). Nevertheless, it was good to hear it again and know that they are staying close.

I was also excited to hear the calls of a couple fish crows today, too. I wonder if each week we’ll be welcoming another returning champion back into the fold.

Walk-about

Because we couldn’t allow today’s perfect weather to be enjoyed on a simple walk-around, we took the long way, a walk-about. I should’ve kept track of how many fields of deer we encountered along the way. It’s funny – they’re almost as common as sparrows anymore. It’s kind of surprising to think that a field full of deer doesn’t even merit a photo. I guess I didn’t even try to take photos when we encountered fields of 8 – 15 – 30 deer because they I simply couldn’t capture them from a perspective that did them justice.

But I did manage to sneak a photo of one lone doe as she tried her very best to blend into her background. I could almost hear her in my head, “You don’t see me; you don’t see me.”

They Can’t See Me, They Can’t See Me – Photo: L. Weikel

Winning the Prize

But the species that wins the prize for most raucous and greatest number of participants this weekend definitely goes to the Canadian Geese as they played their classic hit, ‘flying due North in huge flocks,’ a perennial favorite.

The geese flying North today were outrageously vocal and seemed to be flying in shifts. They kept coming, wave after wave of honking hollerers. By the time our entire walk-about was complete, we’d seen hundreds and hundreds of geese overhead.

They were fairly high, so I felt a similar trepidation in attempting to capture the beauty (and magnitude) of their flight as I did the herds of deer. But the photo I managed that includes the quarter square (half) moon felt worth the effort.

My movement tomorrow is going to consist of engaging in some serious clutter clearing. It’s time to get the energy flowing. The movement of all the critters has inspired me!