Slowing Down

As things return to normal here, I have the time to notice the little things that make life pleasant, if not exciting. The Summer doldrums have definitely begun at Theler Wetlands, and you generally have to hunt to find birds.

If you look hard, though, you can find juvenile Song Sparrows hopping from reed to reed.

JvnilSngSprw

Stand still long enough looking for one bird, and another bird may suddenly confront you.

JuvenileSomething

Follow the familiar chirp of a Black-Capped Chickadee and you may find it stealing the prey of a spider.

BlkCpdChick

Look carefully enough, and you may even find a Wilson’s Warbler hiding nearly invisibly behind sunlit leaves.

HdnWilsonWrblr

When even songbirds become scarce, you can always lower your expectations and take shots of the small flowers that bloom in the deep shade of the forest in late summer, like this orange flower

SmlYlwOrngFlwr

or these purple and yellow flowers

PrplFlwr

both considerably smaller than they seem here, unless you’re viewing this on your mobile device.