[NatureNS] Warblers moving through

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:17:53 -0400
From: Andrew Steeves <andrew@gaspereau.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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I've not posted for a while, but not for lack
getting out. I think I logged more hours in the
woods through August than at any point in my life
since childhood, mostly in the form of early
morning walks, some of which extended into
significant rambles. One of the stunning things
about this province is how quickly you can shake
off society and get out there. Though I live in
town, I'm able to roll out of bed before the sun's
up and into the woods with minimal fuss or travel,
have a great wander, and still get to work before
too much of the morning has slipped away. And
rarely do I encounter anyone else while I'm out
there.

This morning I was up on the South Mountain near
Sunken Lake, walking my dogs in to Little River
Falls. I like it up in there -- very like the
terrain I grew up on in southern NB. Anyway, this
morning the woods hosted many warblers I haven't
seen since spring, so it looks like migration is
underway. In a few spots it almost seemed like the
leaves were starting to fall, because I was
constantly catching little bits of movement -- 
warblers -- in the peripheral range of my vision.
I'm an idiot with warblers so my identifications
are all tentative and I'll keep them to myself.
The Chickadees and bluejays were also quite
active, and at one point I had a nice long look at
a thrush in a fur tree. A couple of red-eyed
vireos seemed to be singing back and forth to each
other across the woodsroad. There were red
squirrels travelling high in the trees, as usual,
and my dogs (a lab and a collie mutt) actually
stalked and flushed a ruffed grouse in some
underbrush. No sign of the deer that was leaving
prints in the soft mud last month, but August's
crazy mushroom boom seems to continue. The
vanguard of the red maples are starting to change
colour, and some of the ferns are going rusty -- 
confirming that summer is winding down.

Anyway, nothing earth shattering in any of that,
but there it is. Life's made of many small moments
and many simple things whose significance does not
require our acknowledgment -- but boy, it's great
when it dawns on us to pay attention.

Andrew Steeves
Wolfville, NS

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